Dusks & Ladders
by aliciousness
Summary: AU. "I'm going to make you see that love is just a game; that love is easy. When I'm through with you, you'll never have to cry over a guy ever again." - S x K
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Greetings, fellow KH lovers! I'm aliciousness, and this is my first KH fanfic that I'm posting. I sincerely hope that you'll enjoy the following material.

**Disclaimer: **The following story is a work of fan fiction. The author does not, in any way, own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. Other names, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, other stories, locale, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

* * *

><p><strong>DUSKS &amp; LADDERS<strong>

"People always think that the most painful thing is losing the one you love in your life. The truth is… the most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that _you_ are special, too." –Unknown

**one**

.

.

.

_A new game is placed on the table._

_A new beginning._

_You roll the dice. It lands on one._

_Move up one space._

_._

_._

_._

Kairi takes a deep breath as she musters the courage to knock on the door.

She twiddles her thumbs and rocks back and forth on her heels as she waits for someone to answer the door. After thirty seconds, she receives no answer. She knocks again with slightly more urgency; still no answer. Before her knuckles can make contact with the wooden surface once more, the door swings open, and a half-naked young woman scurries out. She desperately tries to clothe herself as she approaches the elevator, and she enters as soon as it comes.

Kairi only watches with her jaw agape, unsure of what to make of the situation. Did she have the right address? She briefly checks the sticky note in her jacket pocket. Yes, this was the correct address indeed.

She raps her knuckles against the door again, though with more caution. A young man no older than twenty-three suddenly stomps down the spiral staircase wearing nothing but a pair of navy blue sweatpants and an irritated look on his face.

Kairi feels her cheeks heat up. It seems that her cousin Naminé failed to mention that her potential future housemate was _fine as fuck._

"What are you still doing here? I thought you left," he grumbles while scratching the back of his head. His hair is a complete mess and he seems to be squinting. Kairi checks her watch. It is two thirty in the afternoon, and he seriously just woke up.

"_Naminé, I don't think living with your ex-boyfriend is the best solution for me. He _is_ a guy, after all. He might… try things, or worse: I'll remind him of you, and everything will just get extremely awkward."_

"_It won't. Trust me on this, Kairi. He's actually a really nice guy."_

"I, uh… I was never here," Kairi says timidly. Her potential housemate raises a suspicious eyebrow at her. She merely clears her throat and tries to stand straighter to show confidence. "I'm Kairi. Kairi Hart." No reaction. "I think, or, I hope, that Naminé told you I was coming?"

The attractive young man looks at the ceiling as if expecting it to give him an answer, a reminder, _anything_.

Then it clicks.

"_Please, Sora. She really needs a place to stay and you _know_ she can't stay with me and Roxas. That would just be awkward."_

"_Sorry, Nams, but I think I'll pass on this one."_

"_Sora, you don't understand. She really needs this, and you've had that huge loft all to yourself for far too long. Don't you think it's time for a house mate? All this alone time isn't very good for you."_

"_How would you know?"_

"_Because despite what you think, I still care about you."_

"…"

"_Come on, Sora. This will be good for you."_

"…"

"_Her name is Kairi. She's my cousin. I think you'll really like her."_

"_Nam-"_

"_For me, then. Please. Do this for me."_

"…"

"…"

"_Fine, for you."_

"Oh," is all Sora can muster when he returns to reality. "Well, this has been sufficiently awkward," he admits shamelessly. "Just let me change, and I'll be right with you in a moment. Feel free to wait in the living room until I get back."

"O-okay," Kairi stammers, thoroughly impressed with his sudden change in tone. As he walks back up the spiral staircase with calmer strides, she walks into the open living room and takes a seat on one of the leather couches. While she waits for Sora to return, she decides that it is a good time to admire the downtown loft that could be her home someday.

Because the wall was composed of a large, two-floor window on one end, it contained a spectacular view of New Twilight –the downtown of Twilight Town that always hustled and bustled with life. The high ceiling made everything feel airy and spacious, and the combination of red brick walls and hardwood floors complimented each other extremely well. The staircase and fence separating the second floor from the living room was made of adamantite steel, the finest steel that existed, and the furniture chosen was both futuristic and artsy. It was no doubt that Naminé was the interior designer of the two-storey masterpiece, and it was because of her talents that the loft became one of magnificence and class.

Kairi briefly wonders how Sora can afford such a place on his own.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he suddenly apologizes, pulling her back from her from her reverie. He walks back down the steps dressed in business casual attire and a fresh face. His hair, however, remains an untamable but stylish mess.

He walks over to her with a friendly smile on his face and offers his hand like a true executive. "It appears I haven't formally introduced myself yet. Sora Fair."

"Kairi Hart," she repeats, standing to shake his hand.

"Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Tea, maybe?" he offers.

Kairi shakes her head. Then, in an amused voice she says, "This is a really nice place you've got here. Are you sure you won't mind sharing it?"

Sora thinks back to his conversation with Naminé and inwardly sighs.

"I don't mind. I think living with someone will be a nice change." He is lying through his teeth and he knows it. "I've got to make use of all this extra room somehow, right?"

"Mm," Kairi agrees, walking around with her hands behind her back. She observes the house a little more, critically analyzing things here and there. The kitchen is to the far right and contains what appears to be the finest looking appliances that munny could buy. To the left is a small home theatre and, as a guess, doors to the bathroom and laundry room.

"Can I look upstairs?" Kairi asks. Sora merely presents it to her with over exaggerated arm movements.

The second floor wasn't that different from the first, but there were more paintings on the wall (by Naminé, no doubt). It may have been half the size of the first floor, but it had more rooms than Kairi had expected. It had enough room for an office, a workout room, two personal bathrooms, and two bedrooms; one of which could belong to her.

"Is this the guest room?" Kairi asks. Sora nods.

Kairi proceeds in sliding the door to the side, revealing a room that is fairly small, but more than adequate for her needs. It contained a twin sized bed, a nightstand, a work desk, a cabinet, an empty bookshelf, and a small walk-in closet. Two walls were made of brick, the other painted purple, and the other made entirely of glass.

"If it gets too bright in the morning you could always do this." Sora snaps his fingers and the panels of the glass flip over until they are all tinted. Kairi walks towards the middle of the room in awe and snaps her fingers for a complete view of New Twilight. It isn't the technology that fascinates her, but the scenery.

"So what do you think?" Sora asks as he leans against the doorframe.

"How much per month?" Kairi asks.

As Sora gives her the details required, Kairi places the palm of her hand against the window and looks outside. The city certainly looked spectacular, and Sora did seem like a hospitable young man (despite the young woman that scurried out earlier; that was admittedly sketchy), the air smelt of promise, and best of all:

She was far, far,_ far_ away from home.

Her decision didn't take much thought.

"I'll take it."

**tbc  
><strong>

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed the first installment of "Dusks &amp; Ladders". I apologize for any grammatical errors that I've missed. Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think, and I'll start on the second chapter as soon as I can!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**two**

_._

_._

_._

_The dice lands on two._

_Move up two spaces. _

_You land on a dusk._

_Go back three spaces._

.

.

.

Sora avoided her for the first month.

And the month after that.

And the month after _that_.

He was well aware that he was being rude, but he couldn't help it. He knew his housemate and Naminé were related, but he didn't think they'd look so… _alike_. The resemblance was too much to bear (although Naminé admittedly looked more… elegant. From what he had gathered, Kairi's closet consisted only of oversized shirts and sweatpants), so for the time being he decided to keep ignoring her like always.

Besides, all Naminé asked of him was to let her cousin live with him. She never said anything about _interacting _with her.

"Mornin'."

Sora can already tell by Axel's tone that this isn't going to be a conversation that he'd enjoy having. Although, he does have to admit that his fellow co-worker was clever in his choice of location. There is no way he can escape the elevator before hearing what the older man had to say.

"What?" Sora asks, already irritated. Axel merely grins.

Much like himself, Axel Flamen was a great asset to the military division of Caelum Industries. He was, by far, the best at using the weapon model known as "the chakram", which was fitting since he was the one who designed it. But apart from work, Axel was one of the few friends that actually understood (and followed) Sora's philosophy. They both shared the "we're young, so we might as well attain as much bodily pleasures as we can" attitude, but there is one thing about Axel that bothers Sora greatly.

He is the best of friend of Sora's twin brother Roxas.

"So…" Axel raises his eyebrows suggestively with a sly smirk. "When do we get to meet your new fuck buddy –I mean housemate?"

Sora narrows his eyes.

"Never," he spits harshly.

"Oh come on now," Axel whines. "Spill the deets. Is she at least any good? What's she into? Cowgirl? Reverse cowgirl? Or maybe she's more into missionary…"

Sora closes his eyes and begins rubbing his temple in annoyance.

"No. I wouldn't know, and I never will know," the younger man answers.

Axel inhales sharply and rakes a hand through his fiery red spikes. "Oh, she's playing hard to get, huh?"

Sora resists the urge to face palm himself. "No, you twit. Think logically. I can't try anything with her. I _live_ with her, so I'd have to see her _every day_. That means that if anything happens between us, I'd actually have to _commit_."

Since Axel is well aware of Sora's commitment issues, he decides to say nothing to remain unbiased. Sora is silently grateful about this decision.

When the elevator doors part, the secretary already has her hands authoritatively placed on her hips as if she'd been expecting them. On her golden nametag, the name _Larxene_ is engraved in bold Times New Roman font; the same name that belongs to Axel's on and off girlfriend.

"Hey babe," Axel greets, leaning in for a quick peck.

She immediately pushes him away without losing the rhythm of her stiletto heels tapping against the marble floor. Sora mentally notes that it is an off day for them.

"Do you boneheads know what time it is?" she asks incredulously.

"Sexy time?" Axel guesses, trying to lighten the mood. He then notices the absence of workers wandering the hallways. The floor seems completely abandoned. He gulps.

Sora quickly glances at his Rolex. "It's 9:04."

"Exactly," Larxene deadpans. "You were supposed to be in the meeting room five minutes ago at the absolute latest."

Sora and Axel curse under their breath as they run down the hallway.

* * *

><p>Kairi sighs heavily as she unlocks the door to her new home.<p>

Her new home.

Regardless of the tangible, visible things like the bills (augh, the _bills_); Kairi still can't bring herself to mentally and spiritually believe that this, this loft here, is her new home. It had been nearly three months since she'd moved to New Twilight, and she'd moved hoping that she'd have a different, better, _happier_ life, but she _knows_ that she is off to a very, _very_ slow start.

She is currently unemployed, a bit of a loner, and spends her days sitting around eating sea-salt ice cream as life happens all around her.

The sound of movement suddenly distracts Kairi from her depressing thoughts.

At first, she thinks she might be hallucinating, but her ears perk upward when she hears it again.

The sound of creaking wood.

She glances at the wall clock. It is ten thirty in the morning. Sora is usually gone by eight, and his "lady friends" are out of the door by nine. Who could still be here?

Fearing the worst, Kairi tiptoes to the kitchen, sets her ice cream down on the island, and retrieves an unused frying pan from the stove. As quietly as she can, she walks up the spiral staircase and listens for the creaking again. Upon closer inspection, she realizes that the creaking is coming from _her_ room: not Sora's, not the bathroom, but _her_ room. She gulps and shakily makes her way to her room.

Who –or _what_—was she going to face in there? A kleptomaniac? A stray, rabid moogle? A_ ghost_? Kairi steps into her room and raises her frying pan. She is physically poised to attack, but scared shitless mentally.

She cranes her head to the side and is pleasantly surprised to find a girl around her age, if not a year or two older inside. She is dressed in a simple black beanie, black hoodie, and black pants (the freaking _uniform_ for a burglar), and she has short, stylish jet-black hair that only few with the right bone structure could pull off. She was one of the rare exceptions that could pull off this hairstyle.

However, the most important detail is this: she is going through Kairi's closet.

The girl senses Kairi's presence and turns to face her with an emotionless expression. She is not scared, alert, or guilty. She's just a pretty little thing with a kind looking face. A kind _confused_ looking face.

_Naminé?_ the pretty little intruder thinks as she looks at the red haired lady.

Kairi screams and swings her frying pan in the petite girl's direction. The girl is quick and ducks so fast that Kairi barely sees her move. With one swift movement, the girl manages to take the pan from Kairi's hands and holds her wrist in place. Kairi squirms, but for such a small thing, this thief certainly has a firm grip.

"Please calm down," says the housebreaker. Kairi merely continues to struggle against her grasp. "Contrary to what you may think, I'm not here to steal your things."

"Then why are you looking through my closet?" Kairi cries.

"To check if someone else other than Sora lives here," the intruder answers swiftly. Kairi stops struggling and looks the girl right in her bright blue eyes. It doesn't take much effort; they are practically the same height.

"You… you know Sora?" Kairi asks timidly. Knowing this makes her feel slightly relieved.

The girl withdraws her hand from Kairi's wrists and offers it to her in a friendly manner.

"I'm Xion," she says.

* * *

><p>Five minutes later Xion finds herself cooking breakfast alongside Kairi, whom she offered to cook breakfast for after scaring the wits out of her. Although the redhead was quite hesitant at first, she finally gave in and took a chance. Was she really going to pass up the opportunity to make an a friend?<p>

In the kitchen, Xion goes straight to work. Bowls in the top left cabinet. Whisk and cutting knife in the right drawer. Cutting board on the bottom right cabinet, eggs and vegetables in the fridge, etcetera. She knows this place well. She's been here before –countless times, she may add.

Kairi seems to notice this as well because she suddenly asks, "So um, how do you know Sora?"

"I'm a good friend of his," Xion answers as she cracks two eggs and puts them in a bowl. "I'm practically his little sister. I live right next door with my sister Yuffie in 16B. I come here maybe once or twice a month to check on him, but when he's not around I clean the place up sometimes. When I have time I might make him something to eat, too."

"That's so nice of you," Kairi says, "but isn't he old enough to take care of himself?"

Xion almost laughs. Sora may be twenty-three, but his maturity could still use some work after a certain incident.

"Kind of, but there's no harm in a helping hand," Xion decides to say as she mixes the bowl's contents with a whisk. Kairi then washes her hands beside her and starts cutting up some vegetables.

"What about you?" Xion suddenly asks. "He never told me he was living with someone. How do you know him?"

And how could he not tell her about this new housemate? She knew he was hesitant to share some things after "the incident", but this? This was _gold_. Was he actually committing to another human being other than himself this time, or was this girl just desperate enough to become his long-term sex slave? Xion mentally scratches out the latter as an option. It was disrespectful… and downright cray.

"I actually just moved here," Kairi answers as she pours the chopped vegetables into a separate bowl. "And to be wholeheartedly honest, I actually don't know him," Kairi adds sheepishly.

_Oh ho ho,_ Xion thinks. Possibility number two is actually starting to look _possible_, but this girl doesn't seem like the type. She can cook, she's alert, she can carry out a conversation without sounding like a total snob, and she's cute. She's not another airhead supermodel from Caelum Industries in a slutty dress and six inch heels. She seems like the long-term relationship type. A keeper.

How did Sora manage to snag this one?

"For reasons that I'm still trying to figure out myself, my cousin Naminé thought that it would be a good idea if I moved in with him," Kairi explains, "but he's not exactly home most of the time, and when he is, he's very… evasive."

Xion chuckles and shakes her head disapprovingly. Of _course_ Sora was going to be evasive with his new housemate looking like _that_. Cousins? She and Naminé could be _twins_ for crying out loud.

"But perhaps this is what Naminé intended," Kairi mumbles sullenly, completely unaware that Xion could still hear her.

"Don't take it personally," Xion advises as she turns on the stove. "Sora's beauty and the beast: completely in love with himself. His motto is literally '_Fuck bitches, get munny'_."

Kairi chuckles and begins to gather the unused equipment for washing.

"Does he always-"Kairi doesn't get a chance to finish her question. Xion already knows she's referring to Sora's "lady friends."

"Yeah," the dark haired girl answers with a smirk. Kairi shakes her head with disapproval.

The girls spend the remainder of the morning in a comfortable silence as they finish making their meal, and in ten minutes time, they sit across from each other in the dining room eating their omelettes du fromage with bacon on the side.

"So what do you do, Xion?" Kairi asks as she drinks her paopu juice with satisfaction.

Xion takes a bite of her omelette, excuses herself, and then says, "I'm a romance novelist."

Kairi beams excitedly. "No way! I'm into writing, too, and I love romance novels! Have you published anything yet?"

"As of late, I've had one book published and I'm currently working on something right now," Xion informs.

"That's so exciting," Kairi says, and the sparkle in her eyes tells Xion that her admiration is genuine. "I've always respected writers. They always seem to have the ability to find the words that you can't say, and they can move you with what once was a blank document. I find that so inspiring." She then looks at little Xion and beams at her. "You must be really good. Successful writers are so hard to come by in the city. You'll have to let me read your work sometime."

"Sure thing," Xion promises with a smile. Sora better get his shit together because he is _missing out._ "What about you, Kairi? You're new here. How are you finding Twilight Town so far?"

"It's all right," Kairi admits brazenly. "The house is very nice, but I'm starting to get tired of it after being locked inside for three months."

"Well, you don't _have _to lock yourself inside," Xion points out whilst raising her fork.

"I don't really have a choice," Kairi mumbles with slumped shoulders, and Xion gets the hint.

The black haired ninja places her utensils down and sighs heavily. "You don't have a job, do you?" Kairi freezes, but luckily for her, Xion senses her discomfort immediately. "Don't feel bad, Kairi. This is New Twilight. It's extremely hard for newcomers to find a job in the first five months, and from my personal experience, it's even harder for writers. The companies here like to look for someone with experience, someone who's seen a lot of things, so I suggest getting to know the city a little better and finding a job that will make you stand out. This is completely normal, so don't beat yourself up for it. It took me six months to find my first job, and that was only with the help of Sora's brother."

Kairi, who feels slightly better, looks up at Xion with hopeful indigo eyes.

"We've all been there," Xion assures whilst raising her glass of paopu juice. "And trust me when I say that it will all be okay in the end."

Kairi smiles and raises her glass as well. "I'll take your word for it."

When they finish the remainder of their drinks, Xion is the first to speak up.

"I actually have to meet with my publisher in an hour," Xion says as she gets up from her seat. "So if you'll excuse me."

"Oh, of course," Kairi says in an understanding tone. She leads Xion to the door and opens it for her with a slight bow.

"It was really nice meeting you, Kairi," Xion says on her way out the door. "It's so nice to have a conversation with someone who's actually… fully clothed."

Kairi almost laughs. "You get used to it after a while."

"And I'm so sorry our first encounter had to be like this," Xion adds guiltily. "I really didn't mean to snoop through your things. I was just so shocked that Sora was living with a decent human being!"

"It's okay," Kairi chuckles. "It was very nice meeting you too, Xion."

Her neighbour leans against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "So I guess I'll see you around?"

Kairi nods, and then adds jokingly, "Most likely. I'm here all week. _Badoom tch_."

Xion lets out a laugh as the door closes, but it is a pity laugh. She knows Kairi is broken inside. She knows, because she sees herself within her. She was there not too long ago, and she would give _anything_ back then for help. Kairi needed a helping hand –a push, and Xion wanted to contribute to that push, because that's what Roxas did back then. He pushed her in the right direction, and she was extremely grateful for his kindness regardless of the events that followed.

So without further ado, she fishes her phone out of her pocket and makes a very important phone call.

* * *

><p>"You can't avoid her forever, you know."<p>

Sora doesn't bother looking up from the blueprints that he is currently examining. He already knows whom the deep, mysterious voice belongs to. Instead, he chooses to look outside the glass walls. The dark shade of the sky outside suggests that it is slightly past midnight.

_Perfect_, he thinks. Kari –or was it Kairi? –should be asleep by now.

"I can, and I intend on continuing to do so," Sora says with determination. He continues to avoid eye contact with his lifelong best friend.

"Until when?" his companions asks while placing a pale hand on the edge of the drafting table. "She _lives_ with you, Sora. You're bound to run into her sometime whether you like it or not, so you might as well get used to her company."

"I don't want her company," Sora admits. It sounded less harsh in his head.

"Why? Because she looks like-"

"Riku." His name becomes a warning.

The older man sighs. "Does it not bother you that you feel uncomfortable living in your own home? And do you even consider how that poor girl must feel? Naminé told me a few things about her. She just graduated from Radiant Garden University after majoring in Journalism for four years. New Twilight is a big city, Sora. She's probably having a hard time finding a job all on her own. You could _easily_ give her one."

Sora tries not to let his guilt show. He's a helpful person by nature, but he can't even look the girl in the eye. The first time he saw her, his vision was (thankfully) hazy due to his overconsumption of elixir the night prior. The second time, she moved in. He thought his eyes had been deceiving him when she looked up at him with those blue, blue eyes, but it wasn't a hoax. She was the spitting image of… of…

"She's not like her," Riku reminds softly. It wasn't hard to figure out what –or who- his troubled best friend was thinking about. He practically wore his heart on his sleeve. "She's an entirely different person on the inside. You don't have to be friends, and you certainly don't have to date her. (Sora snorted at this.) Just give her a chance."

Sora sighs heavily and begins to roll up the blueprints for packing. After bidding Riku farewell, he leaves the office wordlessly and sits in his car in the parking lot for a good five minutes while raking a hand through his messy locks. After his little episode of contemplation, he starts the engine, pulls the parking break, and hits the gas pedal.

The drive home is one filled with guilt and frustration.

**tbc**

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><p><strong>Phew, that took me a little longer than I thought. I woke up sick this morning and have been bedridden for the last 17 hours, lol. However, my mom did bring me some green dragon sushi, so there's a bit of a silver lining! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter, nonetheless. <strong>

**I chose to make Xion and Kairi writers simply because they struck me as the type to cherish moments through words. There's just something I find so sincere and touching about their characters (: Also, I may post some songs in the author's notes that inspire me throughout the later chapters, so stay tuned for a soundtrack!**

**Special thanks to **Amulet Misty** for reviewing the last chapter and for those who put this story on alert! Once again, please kindly leave a review to give me your opinion on the story, and I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can!**


	3. Chapter 3

**three**

.

.

.

_The dice lands on three._

_Move up three spaces._

_Ladder._

_Move up five more spaces._

.

.

.

Sora sighs heavily as he parks his red Bugatti in its usual parking space. He exits the scissor doors with style and, with a simple click of a button, locks all the doors before entering the sushi bar.

Atlantica was a well-known Japanese restaurant in the upper district of New Twilight that housed the rich and famous. With its brilliant and modern architecture, neon lighting, and mouthwatering –although admittedly overpriced- delicacies, Atlantica became one of the most successful eateries in town and a usual lunch spot for Sora and his co-workers.

The young executive entered the bar with a sullen expression on his face. For the first time since her arrival, Riku had randomly thrown his roommate into a conversation, and with it, guilt. Since then, he finds himself asking questions that he would normally ask if he actually _cared_ about someone. He finds himself asking things like: is she warming up to her new life? Is she safe? Is she even _home_? Is she… happy?

The sight of the maître d waving a manicured hand in his face distracts him from his current thoughts.

"Mr. Fair? Hello? Are you all right?" she asks.

Sora shakes himself out of his trance and gives the maitre d a charming smile.

"I'm fine, Yuna," he assures. "Just a little stressed."

"Well then I hope a nice meal will do you good," Yuna says while bowing respectfully.

She turns to lead him to where his friends are presumably seated. As she walks in front of him, Sora keeps his eyes on what the hem of her rather short kimono is secretly presenting to him from behind. He purses his lips and shifts his gaze onto something else. Yuna is the girlfriend of his good friend Tidus, and although he likes to fool around, Sora doesn't fool around with taken women despite their offers.

"Hey, Sora!" a chipper voice calls out.

Sora turns to the source of the voice and sees one of his older brothers waving at him from a booth in the corner. Sora is very fond of his brother Ventus' happy go lucky and optimistic personality, but it is his appearance that ticks him off almost instantly. He is the spitting image of Roxas, who shares the same facial features and blond, unkempt hair as him. Their only major difference was their height, but apart from that, they might have looked more like twins than Sora and Roxas did.

"Hey, Ven," Sora greets as he sits next to him. He avoids as much eye contact as possible and keeps his eyes on Riku and Axel, who are seated across from them with menus in hand.

"Hey," Riku greets while adjusting his thick-rimmed glasses. He orders on behalf of all of them, because he knows what all their usuals are after many years of green dragon rolls, shrimp tempuras, salmon roses, and friendship.

As Yuna leaves with their menus to punch in their orders, Axel speaks up excitedly. "So, did you guys hear? My little brother just moved into his new university dorm in Radiant Garden, can you believe it?"

"Little Lea?" Ventus asks, surprised. "I've known him since he was just a little tyke. He's already in university? Man, time flies."

"I know, right?" Axel says, agreeing.

"How's he finding the university experience so far?" Riku asks as Yuna sets down four steaming bowls of miso soup.

Axel rudely answers in the middle of drinking his bowl. "He's all right. You know him. He's probably partying it up and whatnot."

"I wonder who he got that from," Ventus snickers as he picks up his bowl.

Axel points his chopsticks at the older employee accusingly. "Hey, for the record, I may have goofed around in university, but I worked my ass off to get to where I am now, got it memorized?"

Riku closes his eyes and smirks. "Yes, Axel. We have it memorized, and we're all very proud of you."

Axel disregards his sarcasm and continues his story. "Anyways, Lea's not too crazy about the payments right now, but at least he's showing some interest in his program. He called me last night complaining about his first essay worth forty-five percent and I just laughed at him and started calling him really inappropriate names and…"

Axel's obnoxiously loud voice begins to drift away as Sora loses himself in his thoughts. He recalls his red haired friend bringing up payments, and he can't help but think of his red haired roommate. How was she managing her payments? Was she struggling to pay the bills? Was she even employed? Or perhaps she came from a wealthy family back home and didn't need to worry about monetary issues?

"Sora."

The distracted young man blinks twice to snap out of his trance. In front of him is his best friend with a blank expression on his face and his head slightly cocked to the side –his own personal way of showing concern.

"Are you okay?" he asks as Yuna places a basket of shrimp tempura in the center of the table. "You're unusually quiet," he points out knowingly.

Sora leans into his palm and closes his eyes with a slight frown. Riku had actually managed to make him _worry_ for once, and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like it one bit.

* * *

><p>Slightly later that afternoon, Kairi walks into a café around the corner of her residence building called "The Usual Spot" to meet Naminé for coffee. When she walks inside, the smell of coffee beans and vanilla fills her nostrils and she finds herself sighing in delight. The café, though small, is intimate and welcoming. A young woman with healthy brown hair tied into two perfect braids greets her with a menu in hand. She has the kind of smile that lights up the place, the kind that a love struck teenager wears despite her age. She must have been around Kairi's age or older if anything.<p>

"Good afternoon!" she greets with verve. "How may I help you? Would you like me to find you a seat or would you like take out for today?"

"I'm actually meeting someone," Kairi answers timidly. "Naminé Caelum?"

"Oh, you must be Naminé's cousin!" the young lady shrieks excitedly. "Kairi Hart, right? I'm so glad that we finally get to meet. I'm Olette Duhamel." She outstretches her hand and Kairi shakes it with a small smile.

"So you and Naminé know each other?" Kairi asks as Olette leads her to a booth by the windows.

"She and my friend Pence work together, and she's a very loyal and valuable customer of _The Usual Spot_," Olette explains. "She's such a talented little thing, isn't she?" Kairi can't help but nod. Her cousin was quite the artist. "She just went to the bathroom, but she should be back any minute now. Can I get you anything while you wait? A glass of water perhaps?"

"I'm good," Kairi insists as she sets her purse down on the table. Just as she is about to take her seat, her cousin walks in with her typical grace, elegance, and class.

Naminé Caelum had one of those faces that you couldn't help but look twice at when you first lay eyes on her. Her light skin was untainted and flawless, her facial features cute and refreshing, her blonde hair soft and bouncy, and her glassy blue eyes sincere. There always seemed to be an angelic light that radiated from her tiny figure, and it wasn't just because of the sunlight seeping through the windows.

She is dressed in a white blouse and a blue high waisted skirt that flows flirtatiously past her waist. A slim belt tied around her waist brings out the curves in her petite body and her expensive looking open toed sandals reveal a very well done pedicure. A Serah Farron original is slung across her shoulder, and it is the cutest little shoulder bag that Kairi has ever laid eyes upon.

Whoever her boyfriend was –Roxas, was it?- treated her _well_.

"Kairi!" Naminé exclaims with her arms outstretched. She pulls her red haired cousin into a bone-crushing hug and squeezes her with all her might –which isn't much, because Naminé is so petite. "I see you've met Olette," she says as she pulls away.

"I have," Kairi says, pointing out the obvious.

"I just attended her wedding a few months ago," Naminé mentions with a wink. "She and her husband Hayner are the cutest couple I've ever seen."

"Oh," Kairi musters. That explained the love struck smile and healthy glow. "Congratulations."

A blush slowly makes its way onto the newlywed's face as she places the girls' menus on the small table. "Thank you. I'll be back when you two are ready to order."

When the two cousins take their seats, Naminé sighs in exasperation and leans her head back. "I'm terribly sorry I haven't been able to visit you since you arrived at the airport. It's been a little busy."

"It's okay," Kairi says, but in all honesty, she would've appreciated the company of a relative in a place so far away from home. E-mails could only get you so far.

"So how are you finding the big, scary city?" the artist asks dramatically.

"It could be better," Kairi confesses as she looks through the selections. It all looked so delicious. "Things are a little slow for me, but I've been assured that this is normal for newcomers. Things will escalate soon enough."

Naminé raises a knowing eyebrow as she sips her water. "Have you made any friends?"

"One so far," says Kairi. "Her name is Xion Kisaragi. Maybe you know her. She said that she's good friends with Sora."

Kairi notices her blonde haired cousin tense slightly before smiling warmly.

"Xion's a very nice and… understanding person," Naminé says carefully. "She's a great friend, and she's a writer, too, so I figured you'd get along. Have you met anyone else? How are your living conditions?"

"I haven't really met anyone worth mentioning, and the loft is very nice. I know for a fact that you had a hand in designing the place, so great job," Kairi compliments. When Olette returns to take their orders and leaves, she and Naminé resume their personal conversation.

"So how's Sora?" Naminé asks. Her eyes light up with what almost looks like hope.

"I wouldn't know. I rarely see him," Kairi says, and she sees her cousin's shoulders slump. "It don't mind it too much," Kairi then says, feeling the need to assure her cousin that everything is all right. "I think I understand why you chose him, though."

"Oh?" Naminé asks, but it's a rhetorical question. She nods and gestures for Kairi to continue so that she can test her reasoning.

"At first I thought asking me to live with your ex-boyfriend was a little insensitive of you in a way because having one of his ex's relatives live with him might bring back some unwanted memories, but I've seen what he's like. He likes to fool around. He doesn't want to commit, and in a way that gives me peace and quiet, so thank you in that respect."

Naminé leans into her palm and smiles sadly. It is her way of telling Kairi that she's wrong. "You know, he wasn't always like that. He was the kind of guy that was so optimistic and self-assured that nothing could taint his good character, but it's not my story to tell." Then Naminé has a look on her face, but not just any look. It is _the _look: the look that says that she is part of the tale somehow. "He's still the same in some ways, but in plenty of ways, he's also different, and I feel like you're the one that can bring that side of him back and make him even better than before."

"Nams, the guy won't even _look _at me," Kairi points out sullenly as Olette serves them their respective orders.

"He's a little overwhelmed," Naminé admits as she sips on her cup of tea, "so just give him some time, and don't be afraid to give him a chance. I know he'll be good for you, too. I know what both of you are like, and your personalities and previous experiences will form a great friendship."

Kairi sighs as she picks up her paopu macchiato. "I sincerely doubt it, but we'll see." After drinking in a rather awkward silence, Kairi lightheartedly asks, "So, what exactly have you been so busy with that you couldn't spare half an hour with your favourite cousin?"

The motion Naminé makes with her eyes is so small, but so _noticeable_.

Her eyes briefly glance at something on her left hand, and on her ring finger is an actual _ring_.

A_ shiny ass _engagement ring.

Like _hot damn_, that is a nice ring.

"What the _fuck_, Naminé!" Kairi exclaims in pure shock. Thankfully, there weren't that many people in the café to notice her over dramatic behaviour.

"Why didn't you tell me you were engaged?" the newcomer asks as she feels her cousin's soft, pale hand to test the existence of _the precious_.

"How long have you been wearing that… that… that _thing_?" Kairi asks, demanding an answer.

"Almost a month now," Naminé answers, trying to sound nonchalant.

"A month!" Kairi repeats incredulously.

"I wanted to tell you in person when I got the chance," the artist explains with a chuckle.

"So how'd he do it?" Kairi asks, eyes twinkling with wonder and excitement.

"It wasn't anything too extravagant or fancy," Naminé warns beforehand. "So don't expect a flash mob in Disneyworld or anything. As the art director of Caelum Industries' magazine, it's my job to look over the final products, so I was just skimming through the latest edition and suddenly found an ad that didn't quite belong. It was a picture of Roxas –proposing."

Kairi squeals with delight and takes her cousin's hands in hers. "I know this is such a stereotypical and girly thing to do, but this is so exciting! Have you started planning yet? Have you selected a venue? Have you gathered all your bridesmaids and whatnot? Who's the lucky maid of honour? Have you started searching for _the dress_?"

Naminé raises her hands in surrender but is delighted to see how enthusiastic her cousin is about the situation. "Whoa, slow down. Rox and I are still trying to sort things out. But as for the maid of honour…" Naminé looks Kairi right in the eye and squeezes her hands tightly in return. "I know that you just moved here, and I know that this might be a bit of a hassle for you with everything that you're still trying to piece together, but if it isn't too much trouble (and I'd totally understand if you refuse)… would you be my maid of honour, Kairi?"

"Are you _serious_?" Kairi asks, clearly flabbergasted. "I'd be your maid of honour even if I broke both my arms and legs!" She then begins to rap her knuckles against the wooden table vigorously. "Let's just hope that doesn't happen, though. But in all seriousness, thank you. This is such a great _honour_," Kairi adds while winking and elbowing Naminé gently.

"That was lame and you know it," Naminé says with a laugh. Her phone suddenly begins to vibrate, and she answers it with an excited smile.

There is no doubt about it –it is her _fiancé_ on the phone.

Kairi focuses on finishing her drink simply because the couple's conversation is not her business and decides to turn her attention onto Olette instead. She is discussing something with a young man on the other side of the counter, also clad in the same green apron as she. He has a bit of a baby face and is slightly on the lanky side, but Kairi still considers him handsome. His gelled back dirty blond hair gives him a certain character.

Judging by his golden nametag, his name is Hayner, and he leans his elbows on the counter and rests his chin on his palms. He looks up at Olette with admiration, and it is excruciatingly obvious: he is Olette's husband, and he is undoubtedly in love with her.

Kairi sits back, crosses her arms, and frowns. New Twilight was the biggest (not to mention unkindest) city known to man. No one offers to hold the door for you, people on the subway shove you, and almost everyone is driven by time. Everyone has somewhere to be and everyone has a schedule to follow, and love is rarely part of it. There is no room for love in a city so large and fast paced.

But that doesn't seem to be the case. Olette and Naminé were roughly her age, and one was already married, the other engaged. Kairi, when she comes to think about it, realizes that she hasn't even_ met_ any guys apart from her 'not even in the house' housemate. She suddenly feels bitter and insecure, but desperately tries to talk herself out of it.

_No, Kairi,_ she tells herself. _You're not that girl anymore._ _You don't need someone to be happy. This is a new city, a new you. Move on._

Kairi snaps out of her trance when she sees Naminé put her phone back in her purse.

"Roxas just told me that our meeting has been moved to half an hour from now," says Naminé. "He'll be here to pick me up any minute now. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Kairi says as she fishes through her coin purse for change. "So when do I get to meet this Roxas guy? You're _marrying _him and your maid of honour hasn't even seen him!"

"I told you he was out of town when you arrived at the airport," Naminé reminds while chuckling at her cousin's excitement. "It's one of his job requirements. And you can meet him now, actually. He just arrived," the artist adds when she receives a text. "You'll have to be quick, though, but I promise that you'll get to see him more often after today-"

"Oh, just let me meet this bitch," Kairi demands lightheartedly. She exits the café while handing Olette the payment for her beverage. Olette bids both the girls farewell and watches as they approach a familiar black car parked just outside.

As Naminé leads her to the classy black Jetta, Kairi briefly wonders what kind of guy Roxas is. Naminé always described him as self-assured and sweet, and for as long as she can remember, Naminé has always been a passionate artist, so perhaps Roxas was an artist as well? She begins to picture a lanky, but tall young man dressed in a long sleeved shirt rolled to his elbows, dark skinny jeans, hipster glasses, a beret, and hey, maybe even a goatee, who knows?

Whoever he was, he must've been great if Naminé's dad, Noctis Lucis Caelum, the freaking _CEO_ of Caelum Industries, highly approved.

Suddenly the door on the driver's side opens, and Kairi nearly falls over in shock. The young man that walks out is _completely_ different from what she just imagined. His blond hair is stylishly unkempt and he's fairly thin, but undoubtedly fit. He is dressed in beige chinos, a white button up, a fashionable black blazer, a red tie, and checkered Vans that pretty much ruin the business casual look, but he remains insanely handsome, nonetheless. Something about him seems familiar, but his Armani sunglasses cover so much of his face that Kairi can't quite pinpoint what exactly it is about him that is so familiar.

He walks up to his fiancée and sneakily snakes an arm around her waist to pull her to him. She squeaks as he quickly presses his lips to her cheek, to which she says "nice shoes" with a giggle.

He merely chuckles, kisses her forehead, and says, "I'm not in the office right now, so does it really matter?" He then turns to face Kairi with a smile.

As he outstretches his hand, he pulls off his sunglasses, and suddenly everything starts to make sense.

The first thing Kairi sees in blue –the exact same blue that she recalls seeing three months ago when she first stepped into her new home. It is the same ocean-y hue that belongs to Sora, and she _knows_ this despite not seeing him for quite some time. It is a shade of blue that is difficult to forget.

And the facial features –_goodness_, the facial features. The wide eyes, cute button nose, boyish smirk… if it weren't for Roxas' sunset coloured hair, she probably wouldn't be able to tell the two boys apart.

"Hi," he greets with a smooth voice, and it takes a few seconds for Kairi to accept his firm handshake. "I'm Roxas Fair, Naminé's _fiancé_." He suddenly grins like a schoolboy that just received a package of sea-salt ice cream. "Sorry, I just never get used to saying that. You must be the famous Kairi Hart. I've heard so much about you. It's so nice to finally meet Néné's maid of honour."

"It's certainly nice to meet you too, Roxas," Kairi says after a few moments of contemplation. Fair. That was Sora's last name, wasn't it?

"I wish we could stay longer and chat, but I'm afraid that Néné and I have a meeting with someone for a potential reception venue in a few minutes," Roxas says with a sheepish grin.

"That's fine, we can talk some other time," Kairi says.

"Of course. Dinner sometime, perhaps? I'll pay," Roxas offers.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Kairi says timidly.

"I insist," Roxas says firmly. "Consider it my apology for not being here to pick you up at the airport."

"You don't even have to worry about that!" Kairi exclaims. "Please, there must be _something_ I can do for you in return."

Roxas chuckles sexily and begins to walk away with Naminé under his arm. "See you around, Kairi."

"I'll call you!" she hears Naminé say.

In a gentlemanly manner, Roxas opens the door for his blonde haired companion, waves at Kairi one last time, and makes his way around the car. He stops in front of his door for quite some time and stares at his reflection. His eyes harden and there is a stoic expression his face. After some time, he slowly looks up, his expression softening as he looks at Kairi who is still standing in front of the café.

"There is one… teensy little thing you can do," he begins anxiously.

Kairi nods to tell him that she is listening.

"Take care of my brother," he says, and then he gets in the car and drives off with Naminé waving goodbye from the passenger's seat.

* * *

><p>Kairi enters the lobby of her residence building feeling slightly more knowledgeable than before. The situation now seemed blatantly obvious: Naminé dated Sora, then dated Sora's twin brother Roxas. However, something must have happened in between to make Sora the way he was now, but that story wasn't going to be easily obtained. It would take time, she noted.<p>

She thinks about this up until she reaches the elevator, and she is so immersed in her own thoughts that she barely hears a familiar voice call her name numerous times from afar. A Chuck Taylor comes in between the elevator doors just as they are about to close, and when they open, they reveal little Xion, breathless.

"Oh, Xion, sorry," Kairi apologizes, snapping out of her thoughts. "What's up?"

"I think," she wheezes, holding on the side of the elevator for support, "that I know someone that might be hiring."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>I was originally supposed to update tomorrow, but I realized that my classes end late on Tuesdays this semester, so I may not get the opportunity to. Instead, I decided to finish this chapter today in relaxation as I lay in bed, recovering and drinking some Cinnamon Heart tea (: I hope you enjoyed the third chapter of "Dusks &amp; Ladders"!<strong>

**Special thanks to** taccheggialo** and **SoraxKairi7** for reviewing the last chapter and for those who have decided to put this story on alert! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think so far, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors, and I'll get on the fourth chapter asap!**


	4. Chapter 4

**four**

.

.

.

_The dice lands on four._

_You land on a ladder again._

_Move up four more spaces._

.

.

.

Kairi answers the door with an excited smile gracing her lips.

Xion cocks her head to the side with a slight grin as she takes in Kairi's outfit: tight fitting black pants and a simple white golf shirt. "Off to work?"

Kairi beams at her friend as she walks inside. "Yes. Thank you so much again for hooking me up with this job, Xi. I owe you one."

Xion raises a hand in mock disapproval. "Gurl, don't even go there. It's my pleasure." She then walks into the kitchen and places a large Tupperware near the edge of the island counter.

"What's that?" Kairi asks as she holds a hairpin in between her teeth.

"Spaghetti and meatballs."

"Can Sora even eat that much?" Kairi asks as she ties her hair into a high ponytail.

"I have no doubt in my mind that he can, but I made it for the both of you," Xion confesses sweetly.

Kairi places her hands over her heart and sighs in delight. "You are too sweet, Xion. I bet it's delicious."

"Oh, you," she says, playfully pushing away the air in front of her. As Kairi continues to get ready for her first day, Xion takes a seat on one of the stools by the island. "So have you spoken to Sora yet?"

"No," Kairi admits sullenly as she slings a small bag over her shoulder. "He hasn't made any progress with me at all."

"Then perhaps it is you who should make progress and interact with him," Xion suggests. She then snaps her fingers for dramatic effect. "Because you are an independent woman who don't need no man's cowardice," she adds sassily.

Kairi chuckles and shakes her head as she takes one last look at the mirror in the living room. "I don't know, Xi…"

"Just give him a chance," Xion pleads. "I promise you that his friendship is worth it. It may not seem like it right now, but it will be."

"We'll see," Kairi says, giving her the same answer she'd given Naminé, because that's all she can promise, really.

"That's good enough for me," Xion says with a satisfactory smile. She watches as Kairi picks up a pair of large, thick-rimmed glasses from the living room coffee table. They look like they are far too big for her face, but they actually look quite stylish.

"So I met Sora's brother last week," Kairi says as she wipes the lenses with the hem of her shirt.

"Which one?" Xion asks.

Kairi raises a confused eyebrow in her direction. "He has more than one brother?"

"He has three, actually," Xion informs, "and they're all older than him. The first set of twins include Ventus and Vanitas, and they're three years older than Sora. Then there's Roxas, Sora's twin brother, who is older than him by ten minutes. Which one did you meet?"

"Roxas," Kairi answers. "He seems really nice."

She briefly sees Xion stiffen and bite her lip.

"I was afraid you'd say that," she admits, but it was inevitable. Roxas _is_ the fiancé of her cousin, after all. "Note: Roxas is the one you _don't_ want to bring up when conversing with Sora."

"I figured as much," Kairi says as she puts on her glasses. She turns to Xion for approval, and she doesn't look half bad –in fact, she doesn't look bad at all. "I ran out of contacts," Kairi admits with shame, "so I'm stuck with these for now… do I look weird? Be brutally honest."

"No, it's cute. It looks… quirky," Xion admits carefully. Then adds, "in a good way" for good measure.

"Really?" Kairi asks, second-guessing herself as she looks into the mirror for the last time -or so she claims.

"Kairi, you look fine," Xion assures while checking the time on the kitchen wall clock. "Now go, you don't want to be late. It takes at least fifteen minutes to get from Sunset Hill station to Wayfinder via subway."

Kairi nods in agreement and adjusts her bag one last time before walking towards the door. She trusts Xion enough to be alone in the house. Her hand just touches the doorknob when Xion calls her name again.

"Oh, and Kairi," Xion says as she pulls something out of her purse. She tosses something in Kairi's direction and the newcomer manages to catch it in the clumsiest way possible. "Something to read on the subway," Xion explains.

Kairi looks down at the paperback book and lights up.

"_Icing on the Cake"_ by XIV; Xion's pseudonym.

* * *

><p>If there's one thing Riku hates, it's mornings –<em>Monday<em> mornings, to be specific.

He sighs tiredly as he exits his apartment building. He adjusts the messenger bag slung across his shoulder and casually throws his hands into the pockets of his dark grey blazer. He walks down his usual path, passing by the same kids that play hopscotch on the sidewalk and the same snooty fashion girls that hail cabs for work, and walks to the only place that can make his mornings:

The Usual Spot.

A steaming cup of their black coffee is all it takes.

One _sip_ makes his life worthwhile.

He lets out a sound of relief as he enters the modest little café and waits at the end of the line until it is his turn. Five minutes pass and he begins to grow anxious.

Work starts in ten, and service is unusually slow today.

After four more minutes, he begins to panic a little. Now the girl in front of him is ordering, but she is taking too long. He frowns in irritation.

"Can I get something started for you, Riku?" the barista asks with a kind smile on her somewhat tired face. How she manages to remain so patient and calm in the mornings is beyond him.

"Just the usual, Olette," he says, bringing out his wallet from the right side pocket of his oddly coloured chinos. He tries to hand her the appropriate amount of munny, but the poor girl in front of him is still rummaging through her coin purse for spare change. Riku checks his watch and sighs.

"I'll just pay for her," he says, and he gets on his tippy toes to hand Olette a bill worth a larger amount over the counter. The girl in front suddenly freezes and turns to look at Riku with a semi-shocked expression.

He suddenly feels his previous irritation wash away.

The girl in front of him is not drop dead gorgeous like the girls Sora brings home, but she's cute and has a certain character. Her frizzy red hair is tied into a high ponytail (a look that he's always found attractive when pulled off effortlessly), her thick framed glasses cover most of her face in an adorable fashion, and although her outfit is simple, it brings out her petite figure fairly well.

He is not awestruck, per se, but _fascinated_. He's never seen a girl like this wander the streets of the upper district before.

"Are you serious?" she suddenly asks. Riku finds himself nodding. "Well, thank you so much! I'm very grateful, uh…"

"Riku," he says while outstretching his hand and checking his watch simultaneously. He gulps. "Masamune Riku."

"Thanks, Riku," she says while tucking some red hair behind her ear. "I'm-"

"Hey, what's the hold up here?" a gruff, impatient voice asks from the back of the line. "Some of us are trying to get our morning started, so can you _please_ cut the chitchat?"

"Oh, s-sorry," the red haired girl stammers in embarrassment. She grabs her drink, and when she turns to find the handsome young man with the luscious silver locks, pastel yellow dress shirt, sleek black tie, grey blazer, and purple grey chinos, he is already done.

"I'm-"she stops her introduction mid-way when she realizes that he is nowhere in sight. "Kairi…" she finishes, her voice barely over a whisper.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Sora finds himself in his office, desperately searching through blueprints on his numerous work desks. He growls in frustration when he, after twenty minutes, <em>still<em> can't find the specific document he's looking for.

He suddenly hears a knock on the door.

"Come in," he says, but it does not sound welcoming in the least bit.

Riku pokes his head through the door cautiously before entering Sora's sorry excuse for an office. He dodges countless supplies and folders on the floor before finding his best friend buried in a pile of blueprints.

"I know I've said this countless times already, but, _dude_," Riku starts, "you seriously need to get more organized."

Sora pokes his head out of the pile and narrows his eyes at the silver haired man. "For the record, my office is _perfectly_ fine. Look how comfortable I am in this pile of oversized paper."

"You know, instead of getting some _ass_, maybe you should get yourself an _ass_istant to help you sort things out," Riku suggests as he attempts to fish his best friend out of the mess.

"I can manage," Sora insists as Riku brings him to his feet. The younger man picks up a specific blueprint and thoroughly examines it. "So this week's presentation is in… Midgar, and I'm demonstrating the Fenrir?"

Riku shakes his head. "No, that's next week."

"Then it's…" he shuffles through another group of blueprints. "Radiant Garden with the X-blade?"

"No, that's next month," Riku chortles, though he's beginning to feel slightly more concerned about his best friend's lack of organization.

"Then what the hell are we doing this week?" Sora asks impatiently.

Riku sighs as he explains that their next presentation is going to be in their very own headquarters. Sora is to demonstrate two new keyblade models to the Guardian Corps of Bodhum called the Oathkeeper and the Oblivion, designed by the one and only Roxas Fair.

Sora cringes at the mention of his twin brother. He then attempts to find the blueprints for these weapons in a defeated silence. Riku, who does not, in any way, embrace this silence, shakes his head in disapproval. He recalls the days when Roxas and Sora would barge into his own office, unannounced, bickering about such childish and trivial things like ice cream and Nutella recipes. Sometimes, when he was particularly keen, he could even hear them through the glass walls of Roxas' office, which was on the _other side_ of the floor. Riku would serve as the twins' mediator, and back then, he absolutely despised it because it distracted him from work.

Now, he craves that bickering more than ever.

"Hey Riku, what's the date today?" Sora suddenly asks amidst the nostalgic silence.

"August 25th," he answers after briefly glancing at his phone.

"Monday?"

"The last Monday of the month," Riku informs, and he immediately knows what is going through Sora's head. He sighs and leans against the edge of one of Sora's work desks. He really needed to get that boy a calendar, but he'd probably lose it within a week's time.

"Time, please," Sora demands hastily as he searches his pockets for his car keys.

"5:14 post meridium," Riku answers while crossing his arms in amusement.

Sora curses under his breath and attempts to stack some nearby documents into a neat pile, only to have Riku slap his arms away after thirty seconds.

"I'll do it, just start the car already," he orders, and Sora happily complies.

He runs out of his office and into the hallway where workers are already conversing and ready to head home. He runs past them despite their greetings and makes a beeline for the elevator. While he waits for the doors to arrive, the secretary, Larxene, snickers at him from her desk.

"You're late," she teases in a singsong voice.

"I know," Sora growls. He enters the elevator without bothering to look back.

The ride down is agonizingly slow, so when the doors finally open, he bursts through them and makes a mad dash for his red Bugatti, which is easy to locate because of its bold colour. He hops into the driver's seat, pulls out of the parking lot, and drives to the front of the building where Riku is already waiting for him, messenger bag strapped on and everything. He gets in the car wordlessly and remains silent as Sora speeds off towards the lower district of Twilight Town with dubstep blaring from his speakers.

A civilian that occasionally follows the speed limit should get to the border of the lower district in about twenty-five minutes, but it takes Sora only eight. The buildings immediately get smaller, the roads dirtier, and the atmosphere duller.

Sora reaches his destination and skillfully parallel parks his car in front of a cute little flower shop called "The Pink Ribbon". The name is slightly beginning to fade due to the chipping paint, but it remains readable, nonetheless.

Sora's mother has been the owner of the shop years before he was even born, and when Sora and Roxas both landed jobs in Caelum Industries alongside their older brothers, Aerith demanded that her "baby boys" visit her every month in rotation despite their busy schedules.

Ventus, the eldest, visits on the first Monday of the month. Vanitas, on the second. Roxas, the third, and her baby, Sora, on the final Monday.

Sora hurriedly gets out of the car and makes his way to the door with Riku in tow until his eyes land on something that doesn't look quite right. He knows this place, and he knows this place well enough to know that _something _is out of place upon first glance. Through the window of the flower shop is a girl –a girl that he, for a fact, _knows_ isn't his mother, because he knows this girl. He has her red hair, blue eyes, and painfully familiar face engraved in his memory.

Kairi.

But what was she doing _here_, in the lower district, so far away from home?

_Oh no_, he thinks. He takes in the green apron tied around her waist and the oversized rubber gloves on her hands. _No_.

Out of all the stores in the upper, middle, and lower districts of Twilight Town, she just _had _to work at the one that belonged to his mother?

_Abort mission,_ he says as he backs away from the door. Luckily, Kairi is too preoccupied with tending to the flowers that she does not notice his retreating figure. _Abort mission!_

He crashes into Riku's rock hard chest just as he's about to run.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks firmly, crossing his arms for authoritative effect.

Sora frantically searches the area for somewhere to hide. A fire hydrant, a light post, a _garbage can_ –anything that could conceal them from Kairi's line of sight. Sora's eyes excitedly land on a nearby alleyway. He grabs Riku's wrist and drags him into said alleyway for some _Heart to Hart_ conversation.

"Wait, Sora," Riku pleads as they enter the abandoned alleyway filled with debris. "Before you do anything, can you excuse me while I _get my rape whistle from the car_?"

Sora merely leans against the brick wall and crosses his arms with an anxious expression.

"What's up with you?" Riku asks, noticing his friend's obvious discomfort.

"She _works _there," Sora answers as if it were the end of the world.

"Really?" Riku asks, intrigued. He walks to edge of the alleyway and sneaks a peek through the windows of the flower shop. His eyes widen at the familiar sight.

It is the same girl that he bought coffee for this morning.

He presses his back against the wall of the alleyway again, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He never did get her name.

What an interesting twist of fate this was.

"So what should I tell my mom?" he hears Sora say a few feet away. He already has his phone out and has numerous excuses at the ready.

Riku scowls at his best friend's behaviour and confiscates his phone within the blink of an eye. In all honesty, he didn't see _that_ much of a resemblance between Kairi and Naminé. Kairi looked like she had a completely different character to offer –something he admired upon seeing her for the first time.

"Quit being a coward, Sora," Riku scolds. "You're acting like a little boy. Man up and talk to the poor girl. You've left her alone for far too long. Would it really kill you to exchange a few words with her?"

"Yes, it would," Sora says through gritted teeth.

Riku narrows his eyes at him, and that's when the younger man sees it.

"Oh my gosh," Sora says in realization. "You've met her before."

Riku feels a slight tint in his cheeks before shaking his head in embarrassment.

"Yes, you have," Sora continues. He pushes himself off the wall in amusement and disbelief. "And what's worse is that you… you… you _like_ her."

Riku frowns at Sora's false accusations.

"I haven't met her, not really," he explains. "I just bought coffee for her this morning because she was taking too long at the counter. I didn't even get her name."

"So it was a love at first sight kinda thing," Sora says, continuing to be ridiculous in Riku's opinion.

"No, will you stop it?" Riku asks, irritated. "She just seems different. She's not at all like _her_, you know. I can tell by the way that she carries herself. She has something else to offer, Sora, and that something might be good for you if you just give her a chance."

Sora huffs like a child and remains silent.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" the older man asks. "It's been over three months since she came here, and she's still around despite your terrible hospitality. What does that tell you about her?"

"That she's stupid," Sora mumbles.

"No, it tells you that she's determined to stay," Riku explains. "She's not going anywhere, Sora, so you might as well accept it and talk to her. Just because she _looks_ like her doesn't mean she _is_ her."

Sora sighs and rubs his temples in annoyance. He suddenly recalls his first year of university, when he and Riku shared the same Calculus I class under Professor Ansem. Sora was never a math person throughout high school, so naturally, he felt completely alone and hopeless in that class, but if it weren't for Riku's patience and kindness, he probably would have repeated Calculus I about three more times before _finally_ getting it right.

In hindsight, it was one act.

One act of kindness that he, to this day, is still grateful for.

Would he have liked it if Riku had just left him in that pitiful hole of despair? Certainly not. And back then, Riku was patient with him for an entire _semester_.

All Sora had to do was say _hi_.

The younger man groans and slumps his shoulders.

He knows what he has to do.

* * *

><p>When the two boys enter the flower shop, Kairi is nowhere in sight, much to Sora's relief. But before he can express this relief with a long sigh, he sees his mother walk out of the back room.<p>

If there was one word that could describe Aerith Fair, it was beautiful. With her clear glowing skin, healthy brown hair, bright green eyes, and kind, spirited soul to match, she became a breath of fresh air in what Sora liked to call the borderline of Twilight Town's slums. She had all the features and qualities of a loving mother, and unfortunately for Sora, that also included "lecture mom".

She approaches him with crossed arms and a frown–a look that does not suit her gentle appearance. He can tell by the confidence and urgency in her steps that she has been waiting for this Monday in particular.

"Hi mommy," he says sweetly, hoping to dispel any tension in the air.

Aerith looks up at her son, who is at least half a head taller than she is, and pokes him right in the chest. Sora winces in pain.

"Don't you 'hi mommy' me," she says in a hushed, but angry tone. Riku snickers and watches with amusement from the cashier register.

"Sora Gainsborough Fair," she begins sternly. She executes his full name with perfect annunciation, austerity, and clarity: the trifecta of _oh shit_.

"Last week, I interviewed a lovely girl by the name of Kairi Hart," his mother begins, pacing the shop with her arms placed behind her back. "Throughout her interview, I was looking through her resume, and when I looked at her address, I found something very interesting."

Sora gulps. He knows where this is going. He looks at Riku for back up, but the older man merely leans against the edge of the counter and shakes his head with an entertained smirk.

"It is the same address that belongs to my youngest son," she continues. "So I asked her if my son was treating her properly, and do you know what she told me?"

Sora raises his hands over his chest defensively and waits for the painful truth.

"She told me that my son seemed like a very nice young man," Aerith says carefully.

Sora lowers his hands and looks at his mother in shock. Did he hear that right? Did Kairi seriously lie on his behalf to keep him from trouble?

Sora turns to see his best friend giving him the '_do you feel like an ass now?_' look.

"I was overjoyed to hear that," Aerith continues, "So overjoyed to hear that my youngest son was being hospitable to a newcomer, but all that proved to be a lie when Roxas and Naminé visited me last Monday."

Sora looks into the narrowed eyes of his mother and cowers in fear.

"Naminé, Kairi's cousin and _best friend_, told me that you haven't even uttered _one word _to Ms. Hart since she moved in!" Aerith exclaims furiously. She begins to poke her son in the chest repeatedly, ensuring a bruise. "Sora Fair, you will apologize to that girl immediately and treat her with the proper respect she deserves. I did _not_ raise you to treat women like this. Your father would have been so disappointed in you."

Sora suddenly remembers his older brother Vanitas pushing him on the swing set of their backyard many years ago. Vanitas, who suddenly became preoccupied with a stray moogle, left a four-year-old Sora alone on the swing set. Sora recklessly swung himself forward with so much force that he ended up falling right on his back, knocking the air right out of his lungs.

This is how he feels now.

"The dad card? _Really_?" he asks incredulously.

Sora's father, Zack Fair, was the archetype of a perfect soldier and a loving father. He was a first-class SOLDIER that proudly died a hero when Sora was only five-years-old. Since then, both sets of twins became very protective of their fragile mother and did everything they could to help and please her. Their father may have been gone, but his appearance and personality continued to live on within each of them somehow –Sora, especially. In their hearts, their father's job in the world was complete, and they would continue his legacy in ways that they knew how.

How Sora was acting, however, disgraced his father's legacy and he knew this.

"Yes, really," his mother responds with her hands on her hips, but before she can continue to scold him, Kairi emerges from the back room with a bouquet of fresh roses in hand.

"Oh," she says, nearly dropping the flowers when she locks eyes with Sora. "Hi."

Riku elbows Sora in the gut and the brunet manages to croak out a hoarse "hi" before clutching his stomach in pain.

"Kairi!" Aerith exclaims, her mood immediately switching to an excited one to disguise her anger. She puts an arm around her son's shoulders and begins pinching his cheek. "Obviously you know my son, Sora, and this handsome young man here is his best friend, Riku," she says, gesturing to the older man by the cashier.

"We've met," Riku says with a grin. "Double cream, double sugar, right?"

Kairi nods with a slight blush. She is flattered that he actually remembers her order.

"Sora here was just paying his monthly visit," Aerith says, continuing to pinch her son's cheek as a loving gesture. As his mother continues to ramble on about the details of her sons' monthly visits, Sora uses this time to analyze the girl before him.

Now that he gets a good look at her, he realizes that she can't be any taller than 5'2. She is a tiny little thing, but with a hint of muscle –something Naminé never had. There are bags under her eyes and she looks like she is in desperate need of a salon day, but other than that, she looks well. He finds himself feeling relieved that she managed to find a job, but there is a hint of emptiness in her eyes that he can't quite explain. She does not look sad, but she does not look happy.

Sora cringes. It's like he's looking into his own eyes.

"… but Sora never likes coming to this part of town. He claims it's too ghetto for him," he hears his mother say when he tunes back in.

He openly gapes at her.

"Mom!" he cries. Didn't he seem assholic enough?

"No, it's true," she continues shamelessly. Kairi merely stifles her laughter by covering her mouth with the roses. "I think it's a shame, really. I happen to like this part of town. I get to see people and their everyday walks of life –all Sora ever sees up there is stuck up rich people driven by time."

Sora merely rolls his eyes while Riku and Kairi nod in understanding and agreement. He escapes from his mother's embrace –headlock, really—and rubs his aching cheek.

"Okay, mom, I think that's enough," he insists.

"You're right, you're right," she admits as she glances at her watch. "You know what, I think we should close the shop early tonight."

Kairi looks startled. "Are you sure, Mrs. Fair? I can still put in some orders, or arrange more bouquets in the greenhouse-"

"No, dear, I think we're done for today," Aerith insists as she takes one last glance at the shop. "You did wonderfully today. Get your things from the back room and I'll start closing up."

Kairi bows respectfully in gratitude before scurrying into the back room to gather her things.

The instant her new employee is out of earshot, Aerith sends her son another look.

"Well, are you going to drive that girl home?" she asks. Sora knows her tone well enough to know that this is not actually a question. It is a demand.

Before Sora can respond, Kairi walks back into the shop with a grey cardigan in one hand and a small bag in the other.

"Thank you so much for everything, Mrs. Fair," she says gratefully.

"You're very welcome. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!" Aerith says with verve. She then elbows her son discreetly.

Sora groans and looks at everything_ but_ his housemate. "S-so, Kairi…" He comes to realize that this is the first time he's said her name out loud. "How do you plan on getting home?"

"I take the subway," she answers swiftly.

Sora shivers in disgust. To him, the subway is a hellhole; a center for disease; a gum-infested wasteland. It is a merciless, dog eat dog world down there. People will not hesitate to make you feel uncomfortable or shove you out of the way. It was not a place for tiny little things like Kairi.

From his peripheral vision, his mother is giving him _the look_. He squirms under her piercing gaze.

"Would you like a ride home?" he finally blurts out.

Kairi blinks twice. Even Riku can see the surprise in her eyes.

"Um, that would be great, actually," she says while rubbing her elbow anxiously. It's starting to get rather dark outside and she did not want to travel alone on her first day.

"Okay," Sora says, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Okay," she repeats.

Sora clears his throat and turns to his best friend. "What about you, Riku? Need a ride home?"

Riku sees the desperation in Sora's eyes and nearly laughs. His best friend is now putty in his hands.

"Nah," he says, and he immediately senses Sora's discomfort. "I think I'll take the subway home."

Sora growls as Riku shares a quick hug with his mother.

"Always a pleasure to see you, Mrs. Fair," he says, and she waves at him one last time before he calmly exits the flower shop with his hands in his pockets.

Sora and Kairi both share individual hugs with Aerith before leaving the shop in an awkward silence. Sora leads his housemate to his car outside and is about to walk to his side of the car when he feels his mother's eyes on him. He gulps and slowly turns to see her staring him down from the doorway. He sighs and walks over to Kairi's side to open the door for her.

"Thank you," she says as she enters the vehicle. He hops into his side and sighs as he presses his back into the leather seat. He hears Kairi let out a low whistle beside him.

"Nice car," she says.

"Thanks," he says.

They bask in an awkward silence afterward. From his peripheral vision, he sees Kairi twiddling her thumbs anxiously. He looks down at his own hands. He surprises even himself when he realizes that they're shaking.

His father's smiling face suddenly flashes into his head for a brief moment.

He sighs.

"I'm sorry I've been ignoring you for the last few months," he confesses, and for some reason it feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off his chest. "It was very immature and inconsiderate of me. I apologize. Having a housemate just overwhelmed me."

"It's okay," Kairi says. She's smiling. "I understand."

Silence takes over once again, but it's not as awkward as before.

Sora suddenly begins to shake his head and chuckles. They're acting like teenagers.

"Hey, can we just forget all of this and start over?" he suggests with hopeful eyes.

Kairi's smile widens. It looks as if a beacon of hope has been lit right before her very eyes.

"I'd like that," she admits as she tucks some claret hair behind her left ear.

Sora offers his hand to her in a welcoming gesture. "Sora Fair."

She accepts it almost instantly. "Kairi Hart."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that was certainly a lot longer than I expected. As of now, the word count slightly exceeded 5000 words! I considered splitting this chapter into two, but decided against it. Hope that was a smart decision.<strong>

**Special thanks to **codeninjathe, SoraxKairi7 **and** Amulet Misty **for reviewing the last chapter and to those who put this story on alert! Also, thank you to the people who have this story favourited already. I'm glad you're thoroughly enjoying it so early. I'm sorry for any grammar errors, please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think, and I'll get started on chapter five!**


	5. Chapter 5

**five**

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_The die lands on five._

_Move up five spaces._

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Sora wakes up to the smell of crepes the following day.

He checks his alarm clock and reads 6:30AM. He groans and rolls out of bed to get ready for the day. After going through his normal morning routine in the bathroom, Sora lazily returns to his room to get dressed. He pulls on a pair of beige chinos, buttons up a maroon coloured dress shirt, ties a skinny black tie, and throws on a navy blue blazer outlined in a thin layer of white overtop. After briefly checking his appearance in the mirror and walking through a wall of cologne that he sprays for himself, Sora makes his way to the kitchen.

The aroma of the delicious crepes strengthens with each step he takes and intrigues him even more. He finally reaches the kitchen and finds Kairi cooking by the stove, dressed comfortably in an oversized hoodie and sweatpants –an outfit that _clearly_ distinguishes her from her cousin.

"Good morning," his housemate greets with verve.

"Morning," he returns groggily.

"I hope you like crepes for breakfast," she says while spreading the batter evenly on a frying pan. Sora tries to hold back his drool as he walks over to the coffee maker.

"I don't normally eat breakfast, so anything will suffice," he confesses sheepishly.

Kairi begins waving her spatula at him with her jaw agape. "That's terrible! Breakfast is-"

"-the most important meal of the day," he finishes. "I know. How do you like your coffee?"

"Double cream, double sugar," she answers while finishing off the last of the crepes.

"Why are you up so early?" Sora suddenly asks while pouring their coffee into two separate mugs. He knows that his mother's shop doesn't open until nine, and it's only six forty-five.

His housemate merely shrugs. "Early riser, I guess. Why are you up so early?"

"I always get up this early for work," Sora answers while pouring a generous amount of sugar into both their mugs.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what exactly is it that you do?" Kairi asks, noting his business casual attire.

Sora tries not to lick his lips as Kairi spreads Nutella over their breakfast. "I uh, I work as a weapons specialist for Caelum Industries. I demonstrate weapons to different military divisions galaxy wide."

Kairi's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets. Caelum Industries, owned by Naminé's father, Noctis Caelum, was not _a_ large and successful industry, but _the_ large and successful industry that dedicated itself to improving New Twilight's technology and the daily lives of its consumers. To work for them meant you were brilliant, creative by nature, and had a high degree of professionalism.

_No wonder Sora's rich,_ Kairi thinks.

"What about you, Kairi? You seem like a whiz in the kitchen. Are you a chef or something, or have you always wanted to work in a flower shop?" he asks while bringing their freshly made coffee over to the counter.

Kairi almost laughs as she slices a banana. "No, but your mother is such a lovely and passionate person. I admire how much she loves her job, but botany isn't really my thing. I'm more into the art of writing. I just finished studying Journalism in the University of Radiant Garden a few months ago."

"Oh, so you're a writer," Sora observes. He recalls Riku mentioning something like that a few weeks ago.

"Hoping to be," Kairi corrects as she squirts chocolate syrup over their Nutella banana crepes in a zigzag fashion.

"What kind?" Sora asks as he stirs his coffee mug for good measure.

"A travel journalist or a successful novelist, but the latter is a bit of a long shot," Kairi admits as she grabs utensils from a nearby drawer. She pushes Sora's plate towards him and he thanks her graciously.

"You need plenty of experience to become either one of those," he then says as he slices his crepe. "Working at _The Pink Ribbon_ isn't exactly going to cut it."

"I know," Kairi says as she sips her coffee. "But I have to start somewhere, right?"

"Mm," Sora agrees. He takes a bite out of his crepe and sighs in delight as the various flavours explode in his mouth and excite his taste buds.

Maybe having a housemate wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

><p>Sora exits the elevator with a smile on his face and a bounce to his step. If it weren't for his chauvinistic asshole reputation, other employees might have mistaken him for being in love.<p>

"Well don't you look awfully chipper this morning," Riku points out when Sora walks into the empty meeting room _early_ for once. He can't help but notice that Sora's eyes looks brighter, his strides bouncier, and his cheeks fuller. This is not the same young man that walks into work with a stick up his ass every morning.

"Oh my goodness," Riku says when he realizes it. "You _ate breakfast_."

Sora takes the seat beside his albino-haired best friend, throws his hands behind his head, and puts his feet up on the large meeting desk.

"Nutella crepes with bananas and a touch of perfection," Sora says while kissing his thumb, index, and middle finger.

"I'm guessing Kairi cooked?" Riku guesses, because he's seen Sora cook before, and it's something he never wants to experience ever again.

"Yes, and I seriously don't know why that girl majored in Journalism when she _clearly_ has a knack for Hospitality and Tourism," Sora says. He closes his eyes as his taste buds attempt to remember what it was like to see the light.

"So I'm assuming that everything went smoothly after I left the shop yesterday?" Riku asks as he bites on the edge of his reading glasses.

"You could say that. We're not exactly best friends or anything, but we're civil towards each other. We decided to start over," Sora explains. Riku notes that his best friend seems pretty satisfied with himself and feels a smile tugging at his own lips.

Things were finally going to change.

"You better not be best friends," Riku then says jokingly. "'Cause if you are, I'm gonna have to tell that bitch to back dat ass up because that slot is _taken_."

Sora chuckles as he pulls out a folder from his bag. "Need I hold your weave, Riku?"

"I might just box a hoe," the older man says, playing along.

"Cut a bitch," Sora adds.

Riku shakes his head with a chuckle and puts on his thick-rimmed Ray bans to analyze some papers in front of him. "So, did you bring the blueprints I asked for?"

The moment is lost when Sora's smile immediately turns upside down. Riku slaps his forehead and sighs.

Just because Sora and his housemate were on speaking terms didn't mean that Sora's lack of organization would just miraculously disappear.

* * *

><p>She angrily answers on the third ring.<p>

"Hello?"

"Kairi!" exclaims an enthusiastic and excited voice on the other line.

"Mom?" Kairi asks groggily, her initial anger washing away. She wipes her sleep-deprived eyes as she sits up on her bed.

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. I didn't take the time difference into account," Mrs. Hart says guiltily. "I just wanted to know how my baby was doing in the big city. You haven't checked in with us in a while."

"Sorry," Kairi says hoarsely as she adjusts her cell phone. "It's just been busy."

"Should I let you go back to sleep?" her mom asks worriedly. "Do you have work in the morning?"

"Yes," Kairi answers, and she hears her mother's excited squeal on the other end. "But I don't mind talking for a bit. How are you, mom?"

"Oh, same old, same old," Mrs. Hart replies. "What about you, Kairi? How are _you _doing? Are you okay there? Do you have a place to stay? What's your job like? Do you like it there? Because if not, you're always welcome to come ba-"

"I'm okay," Kairi interrupts. "Thanks for asking. I currently work at a flower shop, which isn't much at the moment, but it's a good place to start in such a large city. I'll work my way up."

"And your home?" her mom pries. "Is it adequate?"

"Yes, I live in a loft," Kairi answers tiredly. She briefly checks the time on her alarm clock: two thirty-seven in the morning.

"A loft," her mom repeats, impressed. "I'm guessing you have a housemate? Those can get very expensive in the city."

"It is, but I do have a housemate to help me out."

"I certainly hope it's a girl!" she hears her father say in the background. "You know how we feel about you living alone with a male acquaintance!"

"U-uh…" Kairi thinks fast. "Yes, yes, I do live with a girl. Her name is uh…" Sorina? Kairi then slaps her forehead. That sounded so stupid. "Xion. Her name is Xion. She's really nice. She's a writer, too."

"Well, she sounds lovely," says her mother. "But overall, are you happy, dear? Do you like where you are?"

Kairi feels a smile tugging at her lips as she thinks about her breakfast conversations with Sora. They aren't much, but they're _something_.

"Things are… getting better," she admits carefully. Kairi suddenly stiffens when she hears something. She gulps and presses her ear to the wall that separates her room from Sora's as her mom rambles on about how happy she is for her baby girl.

On the other side of the wall, Kairi hears excruciatingly loud moaning –so loud, in fact, that it begins to seep through the walls and into her own room.

"Kairi, what's that sound? Static in the background?" her mother asks innocently.

"Nothing, mom," Kairi says immediately. She then fakes a yawn. "Well, uh, I'm super tired, and I have to get up early for work tomorrow, so I'll talk to you soon mom!" Kairi says hastily as the moans grow louder.

"Okay, take care dear! I look forward to-"

_Beeeeeeeeep._

Kairi throws her head back and sighs in exasperation as the moans eventually come to an end. This is precisely why she does not like being disturbed in the middle of the night. It wasn't like Sora was going to be more courteous just because they were on speaking terms. They weren't _friends_ or anything, but the term _housemates_ should at least mean _something _to him, right?

Five minutes pass and the house is silent save for the shutting of the front door and a few giggles. Kairi then takes this opportunity to trudge to her door with clenched fists.

"Sora," she says as she opens the door hastily. "Can you _please_ tone down your-" She freezes when she realizes that he is standing right in front of her –shirtless, she may add, and the view is certainly nice.

He suddenly snickers and crosses his arms. "Nice pajamas."

When Kairi wills herself to stop staring at his toned chest, she looks him in the eye but cannot keep a confident composure. She mentally curses at herself. This was getting downright ridiculous. She hides her chocobo pajamas in embarrassment and keeps her chin up.

"We need to talk," she says, but her voice comes out a little shakier than she'd like.

"Sorry," Sora says, but she can tell by his confident smirk that he does not mean it. "Did I disturb you?"

"_Yes_," she answers, her voice laced with venom. "So can you please quiet down next time?" She knows there will be a next time, and a time after that, and after that, and after that…

She inwardly groans. Jesus, take the wheel.

Sora merely shrugs as he makes his way back to his room. "My bad," he says teasingly. "I can't help it that I'm just that good in bed."

Kairi's jaw drops open as the door shuts behind him.

"_Just give him a chance," Xion pleads. "I promise you that his friendship is worth it. It may not seem like it right now, but it will be."_

Kairi scratches the back of her head and frowns. Xion better be right.

* * *

><p>Sora concludes that Kairi is an interesting little thing with a hint of crazy.<p>

In the span of a month, he subconsciously manages to pick up many odd quirks about her, and it isn't because he _cares_ –he's just got nothing else to observe in those moments (or so he claims).

Firstly, Kairi is a morning person. She also likes Nutella and crepes. There is not one breakfast where they don't indulge in the creamy hazelnut goodness that is Nutella, or the awesomeness that is the crepe. She is in a particularly good mood if they have both.

Second, she likes to sing along to the hold music when she's paying her bills via telephone. He knows for a fact that her favourite song is Utada's "Simple and Clean", because every time it comes on, she claims that it's her "lady jam" before going off, and when Sora says off, he means _off_.

Third, she is amazing at Marvel versus Capcom. The girl knows how to mash her buttons in an orderly fashion.

Fourth, she wears a lot of oversized clothing outside of work. Sora is highly convinced that her closet only consists of sweatpants, hoodies, and t-shirts that are three times her size.

Fifth, she likes to drink Cinnamon Heart tea when she's feeling down or stressed, which he secretly knows is quite often.

Sixth, she likes listening to modern music on vinyl records not because her little record player _sounds_ better, but because she merely likes the_ idea_ of a record.

Lastly, she likes to read paperback books because she wants to _feel_ the words.

In a city that embraces technological advancement, the girl likes to listen to records and read paperback books. If that isn't bat shit crazy, then Sora doesn't know what is.

"You're late," his mother points out on the last Monday of September.

"I know," Sora groans, leaning over to hug his mother over the cashier register. "Something came up at work and the rain slowed me down."

"I find that highly unlikely," his mother says with an accusing eyebrow raise. "I think you just lost track of time since Riku wasn't in today."

Sora huffs and turns the other way. "So what if I did? I'm here, aren't I?" He quickly glances at the empty flower shop. "Where's Kairi?"

Aerith grins at her son's slightly concerned expression.

"She just left about five minutes ago. I let her leave early. Didn't want her walking home alone in the dark with the heavy rain," she explains. "How are you two?"

"Better," Sora answers, leaning against the counter for support. "We talk, but we're not insanely close or anything. We play video games together sometimes, but we're not on a personal level yet. We're far from what we were a month ago, though."

"Yeah?" Aerith asks, smiling as she looks through the orders that Kairi wrote down earlier. "She's a lovely girl, you know. I can tell that she doesn't really enjoy working with plants, but what she lacks in passion, she makes up for in organization, creativity, and determination. She reads during her breaks and I can tell that she has a very special relationship with words. She's also very punctual. She always shows up on time and greets the day with a smile."

"What are you getting at?" Sora asks, because he knows his mother holds an ulterior motive with her words. She is the type to see the good in people (something that rubbed off on him), but she does not promote them with this much effort unless she has something up her sleeve.

"She would make a great assistant," Aerith points out bluntly.

Sora stares daggers at his mother with his jaw agape. "I, what, um, excuse me?" he stammers. "What makes you think I need an assistant? I am perfectly capable handling everything myself!"

"Honey," Aerith begins softly. "You know I love you and mean no offense but… you show up late to every one of our monthly meetings unless Riku accompanies you, you count on poor little Xion to clean your house, you forget to bring a lot of things, and I bet all of these bad habits reflect on your job performance as well."

"I haven't forgotten anything today!" Sora claims defensively.

"Did you bring the tea I asked for?" Aerith asks, testing him.

Sora slaps his forehead and briefly recalls his mother asking him for Jasmine tea no more than fifteen minutes ago. He shakes his head in shame. He no longer has a valid argument in his defense.

"Sora, Kairi is the perfect candidate for the job," his mother insists. "Not only does she have the right skill set, but she's sweet and passionate. I'm sure you're aware of the fact that she wants to be a writer, and you and I both know that working at a flower shop in the lower district of Twilight Town isn't enough for her resume. A job in Caelum Industries, however, is a different story."

"Mom-" Sora starts.

"Just consider it," she interrupts hastily. "Put your pride aside and just consider it. That's all I ask of you. Please."

Sora groans and gives in to his mother's puppy dog eyes and slight pout. She smiles warmly and pulls him into another hug across the counter.

"I love you," she says as he pulls away.

"Love you too, mom," Sora says, and he genuinely means it. "Take care, okay? I'll see you next month."

"That you shall," she says, and just as her son is about to walk out the door, she calls him back. "Oh, and honey, can you please tell Vanitas to get a haircut? He could really use one. His hair is a lot shaggier than usual."

Sora chuckles one last time before nodding in understanding. He quickly runs into his car to get away from the rain and speeds down the streets of the lower district.

As he slows down to stop at a red light, something red on the sidewalk catches his eye. When the wipers of his car clear his vision, he realizes that the red spot on the sidewalk is _hair_ –wet, red hair. The shaggy, wet, red hair that belongs to no one else but Kairi.

She walks with haste, unease, and no umbrella. She is soaked from head to toe, and even from their current distance, Sora can make out the faint outlines of Kairi's bright pink bra underneath her white golf shirt. He gulps and directs his gaze to her retreating figure overall. She is surprisingly curvier than he thought –then again, it was almost impossible to tell under her large shirts and loose pants.

Her hair, now a thin, wet mess that cascades down her shoulders like a waterfall, suits her a lot better when straight and shiny in Sora's opinion. He allows himself a few more seconds of staring until it becomes full out stalking and slowly finds himself growing fond of her hair colour. Not only is it unique, but apart from her odd little quirks, it is one of the few things that separate her from Naminé.

A honk from behind him suddenly distracts Sora from his thoughts.

He looks up. The light is green. When did that happen?

Another honk.

Sora curses under his breath and slowly hits the gas pedal. "I'm going, I'm going, sheesh." The car behind him illegally overtakes him, and to Sora, this is a reminder: a reminder that the lower district sucks all kinds of ass.

He is now driving right beside Kairi, who still fails to notice him. Her eyes are set on the subway station no more than two blocks away, but Sora thinks that there is _no way_ that Kairi is even _thinking _of getting on the subway when she looks like _that_. The thought of vile men ogling the breasts of such an innocent little thing underground makes him shiver in disgust. At least when he ogles breasts, the women are actually willing to get something going, and the feeling is mutual.

He sighs and rolls down the windows down on the passenger's side just as Kairi is about to walk down the steps of Wayfinder subway station.

"Kairi!" he calls out, and she immediately looks up, wide-eyed and alarmed. Her eyes land on a familiar red Bugatti, and Sora catches her chest heave as she sighs in relief. His cheeks grow hot and he briefly wonders what he has gotten himself into.

Kairi enters the car, soaking wet with her pink bra and all. Sora is secretly thankful that his car has leather seats.

"Thanks, Sora," she says breathlessly.

"No umbrella?" Sora asks as he steps on the gas pedal.

"It broke two minutes in," Kairi says through chattering teeth.

Sora chuckles. "You couldn't have stopped somewhere and waited it out?"

"I figured the station wasn't too far," Kairi answers as she rubs her arms.

"Uh-huh," Sora says amusedly. "And how long were you out there?"

"A while," Kairi mumbles shakily.

A smirk makes its way onto Sora's lips. "That's what I thought."

He then notices her shivering beside him and turns up the heat. She finally relaxes after a few stops and leans against the seat in satisfaction. Sora suddenly feels the need to pull on the collar of his white dress shirt when he sees her chest heaving as she breathes beside him. She is much more… _developed_ than he originally thought.

Sora's heart suddenly starts to beat five times faster.

_Did I seriously just think that?_ he asks himself. With each passing beat, he unknowingly presses down on the gas pedal with more force.

"S-Sora," Kairi suddenly stammers. "Aren't you g-going a little f-fast?"

"Am I?" Sora asks. He looks out the window and sees that he is indeed speeding down the streets of the lower district. He shrugs. The sooner they get home, the better. The less chest heaving involved, all the more better. "Sorry, I didn't notice."

He changes lanes so fast that Kairi feels herself consistently ramming against the side of the car.

"Sorry," Sora apologizes, but Kairi can tell by his eyes that he enjoys the thrill.

Admittedly, she does too. The faster he goes, the more evident her smile gets, but the moment is gone as soon as it comes.

Kairi's smile turns upside down when she hears the sirens wailing behind them.

"Shit," Sora curses, but he doesn't look worried at all. In fact, he speeds up even more and faces the danger with a smile.

"What are you doing?" Kairi practically screams.

"Put your head back," Sora commands. He presses down on the gas even harder and begins to dodge other vehicles simultaneously.

"You're going to get your license suspended!" Kairi warns as she obeys Sora's orders.

"Don't worry," he says as he winks and speeds away from the police car. Kairi feels as though her heart could actually beat out of her chest. She would dare channel this energy to nervousness, but since she should trust her housemate, she uses it to build her thrill fire.

She can see their residence building just up ahead, but instead of slowing down in the parking lot, Sora immediately parks the car by simply drifting into a vacant parking space. Kairi feels her hair cascade down her shoulders and oxygen rush into her lungs once again. Sora merely chuckles.

"You find this funny?" Kairi asks in disbelief.

"Oh, I really do," Sora giggles. Kairi finds out why when the police officer approaches them from the side.

"That," the officer begins sternly. He removes his sunglasses and hat to reveal that he is a gruff, middle-aged police officer. "-was impressive. You beat me again, Sora! Good job!" The officer chuckles heartily and claps Sora on the back.

"Thanks Officer Villiers. You just need to practice more," Sora jokes.

"Yeah, I'll get you next time." The muscular man then turns his sights to Kairi. "And who's this lovely lady? Finally get yourself a girlfriend, Sora?"

"No," Sora answers almost immediately. Kairi could only blush at the assumption, but she blames her rosy cheeks on the cold weather instead.

"This is Kairi Hart, my uh… friend," Sora introduces carefully. He notices Kairi flinch next to him. "Kairi, this is Officer Snow Villiers, a very valuable customer of Caelum Industries." She shakes his large hand when he offers it.

"Ah, you're Caelum's cousin," the officer remembers. "Liking the city so far?"

Kairi nods. "I'm getting used to it."

"That's good," Snow says. He then turns to Sora with a grin. "Well I better get going. Thanks for the race," Snow teases. "Nice to meet you, Kairi."

"Likewise," she replies as he leaves. When the police car is out of sight, Sora gets out of the Bugatti and opens the door for a pale looking Kairi on the other side.

"Are you okay?" Sora asks with a teasing smile, but it disappears when he sees Kairi's expression. She looks confused, dizzy, sick even.

Sora's eyes widen.

Sick.

She'd been out in the rain for too long, and his driving probably did nothing but overwhelm her even more.

"Um, yeah, I'm just a little… shocked," Kairi says weakly. She tries to get out of the car, but her legs are so wobbly that she trips the instant her foot makes contact with the paved surface. She falls into Sora's awaiting arms, her back against his chest. She is unusually warm under his touch despite her cold, wet clothing.

"Kairi? Kairi!" Sora exclaims, inconsiderately shaking her. "Can you hear me?"

Sora blushes as a group of people stare at him attentively until they reach the elevator. He curses under his breath and continues to shake the now unconscious girl in his arms.

"Damn it, Kairi," he says under his breath. He locks the car doors, sighs in dismay, and effortlessly throws the limp girl over his right shoulder.

He desperately tries to ignore the stares he gets in the lobby.

* * *

><p>Kairi wakes to the sound of metal clanking in the kitchen.<p>

When her vision clears, she examines her surroundings and discovers that she is in her room. She furrows her brows. She does not remember how she got back to her room. She recalls walking in the unfortunate rain, hitching a ride from Sora, being a part of a car chase, then falling into…

No.

She gasps, sits up hastily, and much to her chagrin, realizes that she has a headache. Her hand flies to her head, which feels unusually warm. She begins to feel her cheeks, her neck, her arms… she groans.

She's sick.

The door opens, and Kairi comes across a sight that she_ never_ thought she would see in her lifetime: Sora with a tray of food and a somewhat sympathetic expression on his face.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asks as he sets the tray down on her nightstand and takes a seat on the edge of her bed.

Kairi blinks twice. She has never heard his voice sound so soft.

"Uh… kind of sick," she admits hoarsely. "What happened? How did I get back here?" Her eyes widen when her hands land on her lap. Her _dry_ lap. She is no longer soaking wet in her work uniform. Instead, she is in one of her old university hoodies and sweatpants. She gasps and covers herself even more with her floral bed sheets.

"Pervert!" she immediately declares.

Sora raises his hands in surrender. "Whoa, Kairi, chill. I'll admit that I am a bit of a pervert-"

"_A bit_?" she asks incredulously.

"–but I did not change your clothes. If I did, you'd be in something a lot more chic than that horrendous ensemble." Kairi twitches upon hearing this. There was the Sora she knew. "Xion changed you. I carried you up here and asked her for help when you passed out in the parking lot."

"Oh." Kairi begins to twiddle her thumbs. That was understandable. "Well, thank you. Where did Xion go?"

Sora moves his head towards the door. "She just left." He then takes the tray from her nightstand and places it on her lap. "Now eat up. You'll need it."

Kairi looks down at the tray and examines her selections: a glass of water, some crackers, a small bottle of Advil for her headache, and a hot bowl of chocobo noodle soup. She takes a spoonful of the soup and sighs in delight at the warm sensation that overcomes her.

"Good?" Sora asks.

Kairi nods. "Mhm. Can you call Xion for me, please?"

Sora raises a curious eyebrow in her direction. "Why?"

"I just want to thank her for the soup," Kairi says timidly.

"Actually," Sora starts, looking up at the ceiling to conceal his blush, "I made that."

Kairi nearly chokes on the spoonful of soup in her mouth. Sora, the guy who consistently brings home women to _play_ with, does something _nice_ for one? That certainly didn't add up.

She wipes her mouth and hopes that Sora didn't notice her initial shock. When she turns to look at him, he's still looking up at the ceiling. He is either really good at hiding his suspicions or he is just the most oblivious person she has ever come across.

They spend the next few minutes in silence, with Kairi eating her soup Sora keeping his gaze on the ceiling. From his peripheral vision, he watches Kairi finish her food.

She nibbles on her crackers with the emptiness of a kicked puppy. Her shoulders are slumped, her hair is a frizzy mess, and her eyes are not as vibrant as they could be. She looks physically and mentally weak. Her kind does not survive long in New Twilight. How did a little thing like her wind up in the big city?

"What are you doing here?" he suddenly asks. He covers his mouth in shock. He did not mean to say that aloud. "I'm sorry."

Kairi looks up and surprisingly smiles at him. She speaks with grace, but does not answer his question directly.

"Back with Officer Villiers, you called me your friend," she says, and Sora feels his cheeks growing hot again. He had only said that to avoid calling her his housemate. Snow would've gotten suspicious. "So, friend," she continues, "We've been living together for four months, yet I know nothing about you."

"You do know me," Sora says, looking away once again.

"No, I really don't," Kairi insists. "I only know that you work for Caelum Industries and are a total womanizer."

Sora turns around and sends her a toothy grin. "Then you're pretty much set, aren't you?"

"No," Kairi says, and her housemate groans. "There is more to you than that." She looks down at her empty bowl of soup as proof.

Sora crosses his arms. Why did she seem hell bent on getting to know him? "Well, what do you want to know?"

"Something, anything," she says while breaking a cracker in half.

_Gee, that's helpful,_ Sora thinks. He wracks his brain for some sort of answer but only manages to point out the blatantly obvious. "Uh, my name's Sora, I'm twenty-four, I have blue eyes and my… hair… is… brown…"

He sighs tiredly. This is precisely why he rarely talks to the lady friends he brings home.

Kairi almost laughs. "Okay, thanks for that. What do you… like to eat?" she offers.

Sora scratches the back of his head. He is not used to having conversations like this with people other than business associates. "I like to eat… food?"

Kairi stifles her laughter and shakes her head. "You don't do this often, do you?"

"What about you?" Sora asks, changing the topic with raised eyebrows. "What are you like?"

Kairi finishes chewing before responding. "You really want to know?"

_Not really_, Sora inwardly admits, but he plays along for the sake of it. "Briefly."

Kairi merely shrugs. "I guess I'm… just a fragile little thing who falls too fast and puts her faith in the wrong people."

Sora freezes and sits there, reflecting on what Kairi had just said. As she opens the bottle of Advil, he can't help but wonder why she would openly admit something like that. He certainly wouldn't.

Perhaps that's why she left home: to run away from her past heartbreaks. She did say that she fell too fast and put her faith in the wrong people, so that was the only reasonable conclusion he could come to. She is one of the self-pitying heartbroken searching for a new beginning.

He cringes. That was certainly familiar.

"Well, I'm going to get more sleep if you don't mind," Kairi suddenly says. She outstretches her arms and yawns.

"Yeah, good idea," Sora agrees, getting off her bed. He takes the empty tray from her lap and heads for the door. His fingers just touch the doorknob when she calls him again. "Yes?" he asks, turning to face her.

"Thank you," she says with a smile.

Sora finds himself reciprocating her smile. "You're welcome."

* * *

><p>"Aww, that's sweet," Xion says as she sits back in her seat in satisfaction. The following day, she and Sora decided to meet up at The Usual Spot for their annual monthly talks over coffee.<p>

"I heated up a can of soup and added water to it. How exactly is that sweet?" Sora asks while finishing the last of his French vanilla.

"Well, you've never done that with any other girl before," Xion points out. "You usually just hit it and quit it. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're being _friendly_."

Sora looks out the window in silence. It hits Xion when he deliberately avoids her gaze.

"You spoke to Naminé, didn't you?" It is more of a statement than a question.

Sora leans his chin against his palm and shuts his eyes.

"_So how are you and Kairi?"_

"_We're, uh… we're talking now."_

"_Are you?" He can practically see her beaming at him with those adorable doll-like eyes. "That's great."_

"_Yeah. She seems nice."_

"_I told you she was! Oh, this is wonderful. I'm so glad you two are getting along." Sora's heart flutters at how happy she sounds on the other line. It gives him hope. "I would be so grateful if you two became friends. She could really use more, Sora."_

"So what if I did?" Sora mumbles when he returns to reality.

Xion merely shakes her head as she stirs her cup of steaming caramel pudding. "It's nothing. Have you considered giving her a job as your assistant?"

Sora raises a suspicious eyebrow. "Have you been talking to my mom?"

"Have you been considering it?" Xion repeats.

Sora sighs and throws his head back. "I don't know yet, okay? I've never had an assistant, and I've never needed one before."

"You need one, Sora. Stop being so prideful and admit it," Xion says sternly. Normally Sora would have been taken aback by her insult, but he reminds himself that there are only a select few that can talk to him with such audacity, and one of them is Xion. "You and I both know she needs that job. I told Kairi that in order to become a successful writer, she needs a job that will make her stand out. They won't take her without one."

"A job that will make her stand out?" Sora repeats, tasting the words. "It's like you're telling her to go into prostitution."

"Sora," Xion warns. "Come on. You're always down to help people when you can. What makes this girl any different?"

"She _lives_ with me," Sora says as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"So?"

"If something goes wrong, it won't end well."

"Can you _stop_?" Xion says, gently slamming her fist down on the table. "You're being such a child, Sora. Can you stop thinking of what will go wrong and think of what can go right? And even if you do disagree, you can deal with it like adults. You don't have to shut her out. She doesn't intend to hurt you. She just wants to start over, Sora. Let her do that. You and I were there once. You know how it feels."

Sora rubs his temples in annoyance because he _knows_ Xion is probably right as usual. "Fine, _fine_. I'll do it."

"For whose sake?" Xion asks, testing him. "It better not be for Naminé's. Giving her cousin a job won't make her take you back."

Sora's hand flies to his chest protectively as he turns away.

"I know," he says through gritted teeth. "I know." He gets up and storms away wordlessly.

Xion bites her lip, hangs her head low, and mindlessly stirs her drink. "Do you, Sora?" she whispers skeptically as she watches her friend's retreating figure. "Do you really?"

* * *

><p>When Kairi is well enough to go back to work, Sora decides to pay her a visit on Friday. He parks his car in the same spot –in between two run down cars with fading paint jobs—and gets out with a tired sigh. He throws his hands into the pockets of his black sports coat and makes his way to the entrance of the flower shop.<p>

Before he opens the door, he sees Kairi enter the shop through the back door with a handful of yellow flowers in hand. Since she is a tiny little thing, she cannot see above or below what she is carrying, so she trips over one of the flowers that has fallen to the floor and squeaks as she loses her grip on the bouquets. She falls forward with eyes closed; bracing herself for the impact, but it never comes.

Before she wills herself to open her eyes, a familiar scent fills her nostrils.

Cologne.

Sora's cologne, to be specific.

She opens her eyes and notices that she has fallen straight into his chest. She looks up, only to lock eyes with his. Yellow petals fall around them at a tranquil pace, and Kairi can't help but blush at their close proximity.

Sora clears his throat and releases her wrists from his grasp. She speaks up as he helps her pick the flowers off of the floor.

"What are you doing here?" she asks. He gives her a look. "N-not that I mind, but… it's not the last Monday of the month."

He picks up a few more flowers before responding.

"Do you know what kind of flowers these are?" he decides to ask.

"Um… daffodils?" Kairi answers carefully. Was it a trick question?

"Yes, they're daffodils," Sora confirms. He remembers growing up with every possible flower in the shop –he knows everything there is to know about each and every one of them, so these daffodils must have been some sort of sign. "Do you know the meaning of daffodils?"

"Um…" Kairi wracks her brain for an answer but one does not come. Not many people bought daffodils at this time of year, so she never saw the need to memorize its meaning. "No, I'm afraid I don't."

"Daffodils are often associated with spring," Sora says as he gets up and dusts his pants. "And because they are virtually synonymous with spring, they are often given meanings like rebirth," Sora explains as he presents one of the flowers to her. He takes a deep breath before saying his next line.

"It also means new beginnings."

Kairi looks up at him from the ground with a curious expression. After blinking a few times in silence, Sora offers her his hand and helps her up. The sound of Naminé's joyful voice echoes in his head one last time before he looks Kairi dead in the eyes.

"Kairi, how would you feel about working as my assistant?"

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Goodness gracious, that was a long chapter. I'm sorry it took awhile to get out, too. I am confidently putting the blame on the countless times I have watched The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I am a diehard LOTR fan (in fact I'm watching The Fellowship right now haha) and I fell in love with the second installment of the Hobbit. So many feels in that movie. Like, I can't even. <strong>

**Special thanks to **Wildgirl404, Satoshi T, cutekitty5597, SoraxKairi7** and **Amulet Misty** for reviewing the last chapter! Thank you to those who favourited and put this story on alert as well. I am so glad at the amount of progress this story has made in such a short amount of time!**

**I hope you enjoyed the fifth installment of D&L. I was about to cut it in half again, but a friend of mine suggested that I quicken the pace, which I finally agreed to. Who wouldn't want more SoKai? **

**Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think, I'm sorry for any errors that I've missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I can! I plan on weekly updates at the latest if I can. **


	6. Chapter 6

**six**

.

.

.

_The die lands on six._

_Move up six spaces._

.

.

.

Kairi stands in the middle of the patio feeling like a freak on display.

She watches uncomfortably as Sora and another woman circle her with calculating expressions. Sora stops directly behind Kairi and taps his chin. It almost looks as if he's checking out her ass. After a few minutes, he seems to nod in approval, and Kairi turns beet red.

The female, Selphie Tilmitt, is a dainty young lady with a cute seventies hairstyle and a caramel ombre that fades to a blonde colour at the tips. She is dressed in a stylish yellow chiffon top, a thin black belt that accentuates her curves, a thin blue chiffon scarf, beige short shorts, and high-heeled sandals. Kairi briefly remembers Sora introducing her as his friend, but most importantly, as one of the youngest stylists for _Belle_: New Twilight's hottest fashion magazine.

"You have really nice legs," Selphie suddenly says. Kairi looks up to find her smiling directly at her. She must be twenty-two at the oldest, which means only one thing: she was hella good at what she did. "Did you run in high school?" she then asks.

"Erm, I swam," Kairi answers with unease. "I also played a bit of… volleyball…"

Selphie nods and continues to circle her like a vulture deciding how to eat its prey. Kairi eventually grows impatient with the silence and turns to Sora with a pained expression.

"What is going on?" she groans. She is starting to wonder why he forced her to stand in the middle of a giant chessboard in the patio of their residence building.

"We're giving you a makeover," Sora answers simply.

"_What_?" Kairi exclaims. "W-why? What's wrong with me?" she asks defensively.

"Nothing is wrong with you," Selphie answers before Sora has the chance to come up with some snide remark. "You're adorable. It's just, well hun, you're going to be working for Caelum Industries now. Your jeggings and crocs aren't going to cut it. Your style needs to represent the grandeur of the company."

"And you're going to need all the help you can get," Sora snorts.

"Sora!" Selphie scolds. "Be nice."

"Whatever, just let me make my point," he says. He then looks at Kairi with fierce determination. "Do you see what you're standing on?"

"A chessboard," Kairi says, pointing out the blatantly obvious. They had been playing on it for about an hour before Selphie arrived.

"Yes," Sora confirms as he walks past a plastic knight that is about half his height. "It's a game; a game with rules, patterns, and strategies that will help you win. It's a lot like love, you see. If you play all the right moves in all the right places…" Sora proceeds in checkmating Kairi's king from their previous game.

"You'll win."

Kairi blinks twice as Sora's gaze pierces right through her.

He knows.

He understands.

"After today, things are going to change," Sora says while placing his hands behind his back. "I'm going to make you see that love is just a game; that love is easy. When I'm through with you, you'll never have to cry over a guy ever again."

It suddenly hits Kairi in that moment that at some point in his life, Sora was exactly like her. He wasn't always a lecherous asshole: he was lost and heartbroken once. They had something in common, and it was something very crucial.

"Sora," Selphie says tiredly.

Sora merely raises his hands in surrender and walks towards the swimming pool to dip his toes in. When he is out of earshot, Selphie turns to Kairi with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry about him. He used to be much better at expressing his kindness," Selphie says.

Kairi shrugs. "It's okay. I'm used to it."

"It's not his intention to make you feel bad or anything," the stylist continues. "The goal of this makeover isn't to make you look completely different. It's to make you look the best that you can be –to enhance your features and to make you feel better about yourself."

Kairi crinkles her nose in doubt. That didn't sound very Sora-esque. "How do you know this?"

"Because I taught him the same thing two years ago when I helped him," she answers almost immediately.

Then she does something that takes Kairi aback.

She smiles, but it isn't a typical smile. It is the kind of smile that shines with pure intentions; the kind that makes you feel welcome and believed in. Kairi suddenly knows that she can trust Selphie, and that whatever she does is for the best.

"Of course, Sora would never ask, but are you comfortable with this?" Selphie then asks. "Because if you're not, I could always talk to him about it-"

"I'll do it," Kairi says. Not for Sora, but for herself.

"Are you sure?" Selphie asks.

Kairi nods with certainty. "I'm sure."

* * *

><p>New Twilight mall has a very clear, very simple hierarchy.<p>

The first floor is for the rich: those who simply bought things that made them _seem_ like they were rich. The prices of the second, third, and fourth floor increased in equal intervals, but the fifth floor, which is the highest, is for the _rich_: those who were actually _that_ rich. It was home to the kind of stores that Kairi didn't dare enter back in Radiant Garden. The very _air_ surrounding them smelt expensive.

So of course, it came as a shock to Kairi that Sora and Selphie did not leave the fifth floor.

She knew they were well off, but this? This was ludicrous.

"You'll need this. Oh, definitely this, this blazer here, and this skirt here…"

Kairi groans as she helplessly tries to keep up with Selphie who has been walking ahead of her for the past two hours, throwing racks upon racks of clothing into her arms. The newcomer can hardly see above the pile of office wear that Selphie has thrust into her arms from Fleuret Couture: the high-end fashion brand owned by Naminé's mother, Stella Fleuret Caelum. She'd received gifts from her aunt before, but she had only worn them to special occasions, where they were worthy enough to be worn.

Kairi squeaks when Selphie throws a skirt—a piece of cloth, really—on top of the pile.

"Selphie, that's too short!" the redhead whines. Her eyes widen in terror when Selphie adds a thin blouse to the pile. "And that's nearly transparent!"

"Don't be so modest, Kairi," Selphie says nonchalantly, "I'm not trying to make you look slutty. We're going for professional, but fun. I want you to have a colourful palette; a variety of colours and designs to choose from. Besides, you have a nice body. I don't see the point in trying to hide it with your hoodies and whatnot."

"They're _comfortable_," Kairi retorts, red faced and insecure.

"But they don't fit the standards of the company," Selphie reminds, but it is not executed with the same harshness that she gets from Sora. "I understand their level of comfort. You can wear them all you want at home, but not during office hours, so please give these new clothes a chance. We want you to feel good about that body of yours, right Sora?"

"Mhmm," he says, his eyes not leaving his smart phone. He takes a sip from the paopu smoothie he has in his opposite hand and knits his eyebrows in concentration. Judging by the sounds coming from his phone, he's playing Flappy Chocobo, and judging by the look on his face, he just lost.

Kairi stifles her laughter. "I thought games were easy, Sora. Like love."

"There are exceptions," Sora mutters, clearly annoyed. "And this game is one of them. It's impossible."

"Okay, I think that's about it for clothing," Selphie suddenly says while rubbing her hands together in satisfaction. Kairi sighs in relief as Selphie calls out Sora's name. He wordlessly tosses her his wallet and goes back to playing his Flappy Chocobo in the corner.

"After this, we'll head to the beauty department to get you some makeup," Selphie informs as she swipes Sora's card across the debit machine. "Then after that, we'll go to this great salon I know down the street for manicures, pedicures, possibly a haircut (Kairi gulps at this), and more beauty products –all at Sora's expense, of course."

"Oh, I-I can pay for that," Kairi says timidly. Sora had invested way too much money for a measly assistant.

"Don't worry about it," Selphie assures. "The boy's got enough money to last time a lifetime –maybe two."

Kairi looks at the young man by the doorway. He is no longer playing with his phone, but gazing up at the ceiling made of glass with his arms crossed. He has all the money he could ever want, yet he looks dissatisfied.

This is a young man who appears confident on the outside, but hides turmoil on the inside. This is a young man that is stuck; a young man that is missing something.

Sora catches her gaze and holds it. His lips curve into a half smile, and she returns it sympathetically.

* * *

><p>Kairi once again feels like a freak on display when she is seated in the middle of the salon down the street.<p>

Sora, Selphie, and now her hair stylist, Demyx, look at her reflection on the mirror while rubbing their chins curiously. Demyx, a fit young man with a stylish dirty blond mullet, takes a piece of Kairi's hair and examines it. He bites his lip anxiously when he witnesses the dryness of her hair up close. Her hair is too thick, shaggy, and frizzy for her bone structure. She is in dire need of a haircut, because it is clear that she hasn't had one in a while.

"I'll thin out your hair and add some layers, but we're going to need to trim the ends a bit," he concludes. Kairi nods in understanding. "You'll also have to use certain products for health maintenance."

"But you don't need to change the colour, right?" Sora suddenly asks. Selphie looks at him with a perplexed expression. She has never heard him sound so concerned about such a small matter.

"No," Demyx answers with a sly grin. Selphie is not the only one who senses his concern. "The colour is lovely. Is your natural hair colour this red?" he asks Kairi. She nods timidly. "It's gorgeous. I won't change a thing about it –it's distinctively you."

Sora's sigh of relief does not go buy unnoticed.

Half an hour later, Kairi finds herself sitting on a comfortable reclining chair with her hands and feet soaking in warm water. A lady to her left is filing the nails on her left hand, and to her right, Sora sits impatiently with his arms crossed on a stool.

"You know, I may not be an expert on all this, but I think guys can get manicures too," she says. The lady to her left agrees with a wink.

Sora merely scoffs. "No thanks. The very _air_ in this area is emasculating me."

"So what are you going to do for the next hour or so?" Kairi asks.

"Teach you," Sora says, turning to face her.

"Teach me?" Kairi repeats.

"Yes," he confirms, and gets straight to the point. "Like games, love also has rules, patterns, and strategies."

Kairi disagrees. "But it's not that simple."

"Oh, but it can be," Sora says, noticing the skeptical look on her face. He crosses his arms and holds his chin up high. "What are you going to tell me? That love isn't a game? That that view is cruel, unrealistic, and unromantic? Well this is real life, Kairi. Love isn't like it is in the movies or the John Green and Nicholas Sparks books. It is cold, unforgiving, and brings nothing but trouble."

Kairi can't help but think of the way Hayner gazes at Olette from the cash register at the Usual Spot. She voices this, and Sora immediately shuts her down.

"Infatuation," he reasons.

Kairi places her hands on her hips, much to the dismay of her manicurist. "Really? Infatuation? They're _married_. I'm sure it's much more than infatuation at this point."

Sora merely shrugs. "That's not always the case."

Kairi shakes her head disbelievingly. She learns that Sora is not only a narcissist, but a pessimist as well. Was it really her sweet cousin Naminé that did this to him, or was there another woman? Whoever it was took their toll on his head.

Sora sighs. "We're all just fools who like the idea of love; the idea of something that doesn't exist."

_And I was the biggest fool of them all_, he thinks. "The best we can do is attain pleasure while we still can."

"Sora," Kairi whispers. She almost reaches out to him in sympathy.

"Love _is_ a game," Sora insists, standing his ground, "because if it wasn't, then why do those who cheat and play fair exist?"

He looks at her with an almost desperate look. It is not a cry for help, but a plead for her to listen. Without any words, he is able to admit that he wants to help her in his own way. He doesn't want her to be like he once was. Partly because she feels bad for him and mostly because she is curious about his views and character, Kairi allows him to proceed.

Sora clears his throat. "As I was saying, love is a game that contains strategies that will help you emerge victorious."

"But what defines victory?" Kairi asks, and Sora finds himself at a loss for words.

"Um," he scratches the back of his head and wracks his brain for an answer. "I guess… you're victorious when you're happy," he decides with a shrug. Kairi nods as if accepting his answer, but she looks as if she is not entirely convinced that he is happy himself. He shakes off the thought –he is overanalyzing her facial expressions. "Anyways, um, the first rule is this: love yourself."

Kairi chuckles. "That sounds so narcissistic."

"But it is essential," Sora deadpans. "If you don't love yourself first, then who will? Respect yourself, and those who are willing will follow. My guess is that you were the type to get your heart broken by plenty of guys because you let them walk all over you –is that correct?"

Kairi's eyes widen as she bites her lip. "Um, that's-"

Sora raises a hand to interrupt her. "Say no more. I already know by the way you slump your shoulders and walk with small, unsure steps."

Kairi sits back in her reclining chair. Was she making things _that_ obvious, or could Sora empathize with her to a greater extent than she originally thought? Perhaps it was a mixture of the former and the latter.

"In every relationship, you must _never ever_ let the other person bring you down. Do not let them make you feel unimportant. Always tell yourself that you are more than enough, that you deserve better. This will be your mindset, understand?"

Kairi nods slowly as if taking mental notes.

"To avoid being the one that gets hurt, remain evasive, but dominant," Sora continues. "Never get too attached –remember, you deserve better. The less attached you are, the easier it will be for you to let go. You know better than anyone that the pain of attachment isn't worth it. Make sure that the guy wants you more than you want him. For example, picture me at a strip club." Kairi winces at this. "I _never _pay for the girl. I make her want to come to me. Get it? Do not be easy. You want this guy to fall to his knees."

Kairi bites her lip and twiddles her thumbs. "But how do I even get his attention?"

Sora proceeds in telling Kairi that young men in the upper district like certain things, and he begins to explain every maneuver that Kairi should follow in order to make them fall head over heels for her. Kairi merely nods every few minutes in response. It seemed a little out there and ridiculous, but would it really work? Would it put her in a better position? Kairi mentally chuckles at her last thought. _Anything _would be better than her current position. She couldn't afford to be picky.

Minutes later Selphie returns with a handful of bottles and boxes in hand.

"Hey Kairi, enjoying yourself so far?" she asks, perky as ever. Kairi nods. "These are some products I highly recommend," the stylist then says while gesturing to the products in her arms. "This hair straightener is the best I've ever used, this cleanser will help even and brighten up your face, this moisturizer does wonders for softening the skin, and this oil will keep your hair healthy and give it a natural sheen. It's all the way from Agrabah, you know. It's great."

"Thank you, Selphie," Kairi says, memorizing each product and its purpose. She'd used similar products before, but surely not as well made and expensive.

"It's also very important that you give yourself time to be pampered every now and then, so I want Sora to take you here at least once every month, okay?" Selphie orders softly.

"What?" Sora asks incredulously.

"Yes, girls are slightly more high maintenance than boys when it comes to these things. Don't tell me you're surprised," Selphie says while putting her hands on her hips. Sora inwardly groans. The things women went through for beauty was utterly ridiculous.

"Kairi, it's time to style your hair," Demyx says from his workstation. He spins his chair ninety degrees in order to face it towards Kairi excitedly. She gets up, removes the towel that has been wrapped around her head in a turban like fashion, and takes her seat in the chair. As Demyx runs his hands through her wet, red locks and examines it under his touch, Selphie catches Sora watching them from the corner of his eye.

"You know," she starts, and Sora turns his attention to the stylist almost immediately. "I have a good feeling about her."

Sora scoffs. "Yeah, we'll see."

* * *

><p>The following morning, Sora does<em> not<em> have a good feeling about his new assistant.

He quickly glances at his watch and taps his foot impatiently against the paved surface of the parking lot. She is already late. They were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago. They were going to be _late_ for being _early_. What kind of "help" could Selphie offer in the morning that could take this long? She had been with Kairi for nearly an hour and a half that morning.

Sora briefly considers leaving her behind until he hears the elevator doors open. Out walks Selphie and a young woman that looks so different but so familiar at the same time. The makeup on her face is minimal, but enough to enhance her natural features and make them stand out. Her hair, now thinned out, layered, and straight, cascades down her shoulders like a soft, smooth waterfall. She is dressed in a pink button up, a stylish navy blue blazer that hugs her figure well, red heels, and a beige pencil skirt that goes more than slightly above her knees.

Sora gulps. Were skirts allowed to go that high in the workplace?

She walks towards him with uncomfortable strides as she is still trying to get used to wearing heels. She eventually makes it to the car, but she trips and falls straight into his chest once again. He balances her by grabbing her wrists and blushing in embarrassment while doing so. Behind her, Selphie is giving him a sly smirk. He scowls at her and straightens Kairi so that she regains the ability to walk.

She then clears her throat and looks at him with a hopeful smile.

"Well?" she asks, her eyes sparkling. Now that he gets a good look at them, he notices that they are different from _hers_ after all. Kairi's eyes are blue, but not glassy. They contain flecks of purple within them: a promise of something fresh, different, and exciting. Sora finds himself turning away with tinted cheeks.

"You're late," is all he says, and he gets in the car without another word.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the late update! School is quickly catching up with me. Any who, did anyone catch that Flappy Bird reference? That game is insane. At first I didn't even know what to do, so when the bird fell flat on its face I was kind of just like "what is this witchcraft"?<strong>

**So, Sora's opinions get a little too narcissistic, don't they? I am well aware that he and Kairi (more so Sora) are slightly off character, but there are reasons for that. Here I wanted to portray Selphie as more than just a typical girly girl. As you can probably tell, she knows her shit!**

**Special thanks to** Naivette, Sleight of Hand, Crush-Chan17, SoraxKairi7, cutekitty5597, applebear, Evil Dark Knight, Wildgirl404, **and** codeninjathe **for reviewing the last chapter! I am so grateful for the amount of reviews, faves, and alerts that I'm getting at such an early stage! Thanks so much for your support everyone! It means a lot. Also, the pending playlist for Dusks and Ladders is on my profile page if you'd like to check that out. It is meant only for inspiration and a better view at my vision. It is in no way permanent –ultimately, you make the final call on how you want to see this story.**

**I hope you enjoyed the sixth installment of D&L. I'll have the next chapter on as soon as I can! Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors that I may have missed!**


	7. Chapter 7

**seven**

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.

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_The dice add up to a total of seven._

_Move up seven spaces._

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.

"What's that?" Sora asks as he and Kairi enter the elevator. His eyes travel down to her chest, and for a moment Kairi thinks he's checking out her breasts, but she remembers that she's wearing something around her neck–something that Sora couldn't see before due to the modesty of her old clothing.

"Oh," Kairi says, her hand flying to the golden gemstone on her necklace. "It used to belong to my grandmother. She was like a mother to me when I was a child, and this is all I have left of her."

Sora rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He wasn't expecting to trigger something so serious. "Oh, sorry."

Kairi looks up at him and smiles–something he still couldn't get used to after her makeover. Even he had to admit that she looked… he forced himself to say _pretty_, because anything beyond pretty would have been dangerous. She was his _assistant _now for crying out loud.

"Why would you be sorry? It's not your fault," she points out with a giggle. She clutches some folders to her chest, a gesture that unknowingly pushes her breasts upward, and Sora purposely has to avoid looking at her in case his eyes decide to travel _there_. He suddenly feels the need to pull on his collar, but it is futile. The air is getting hot, and there's no helping it.

The elevator doors suddenly open on the second level of the parking lot. Axel Flamen walks in downing a water bottle, and he nearly does a spit take when he sees Sora's female companion. Sora groans and slaps his forehead, which is a gesture that does not go by unnoticed by Kairi.

"No, not you," Sora says while rubbing his temples.

"Well _good morning_," the pyromaniac greets in a singsong voice. His sights turn to the red-haired beauty that seems to be looking at him with her head cocked to the side. She looks at Sora expectantly.

"Kairi Hart, Axel Flamen. Axel Flamen, Kairi Hart," Sora introduces rather regretfully. "Axel is the engineer behind the chakram." Kairi nods, recalling something along the lines of that in her notes. "Axel, Kairi is my new assistant."

"Nice to meet you," Kairi says, outstretching her hand.

"Likewise," Axel says, smirking as he shakes her hand. Sora sends him a warning look. The pyromaniac surprisingly keeps quiet and stands next to Sora with Kairi in front of them. From his peripheral vision, Sora sees Axel nodding in approval. He rolls his eyes and is silently thankful that Kairi's back is to them.

The elevator doors open again, and a Sora look-alike walks in with eerily slow strides. Sora slaps his forehead again. Seriously, of all the people that could enter the elevator …

Kairi blinks twice when she locks eyes with the stranger. He is slightly taller than Sora and a little more muscular, but apart from that, the structure of their faces and the style of their hair—goodness, their _hair_—is the exact same. It was like looking at Sora with jet-black hair and alluring gold eyes.

And here Kairi thought _Roxas_ was Sora's twin.

The stranger cocks his head to the side and feels a smirk tugging at his lips. Kairi isn't going to lie: it looks highly attractive on him.

"And who is this?" he asks, his smoldering eyes drifting onto Kairi's boss. Kairi can't help but notice that his voice is deeper and raspier than Sora's. It is the kind that of voice that is filled with mystery; the kind that could send shivers up a girl's spine effortlessly.

"Kairi, this is one of my older brothers Vanitas," Sora introduces. He covers his eyes and looks as if he expects hell to break loose. "He designed the X-blade. Van, this is my assistant Kairi."

"Assistant?" Vanitas repeats. He looks at her from head to toe, drinking in her appearance, then raises an eyebrow at his baby brother. His smirk grows wider when he sees Sora shake his head at him. He suddenly takes Kairi's hand and kisses it as a welcoming gesture. Sora runs both his hands through his hair and inhales sharply. Axel merely chuckles in the corner.

"Nice to meet you," Vanitas says to the red-faced Kairi.

"Y-you too," she stammers, unsure what to think or do.

"Okay, that's enough," Sora insists, stepping in between them. He did _not_ want to start the day watching his older brother seduce his assistant.

"I was just being friendly," Vanitas claims, purposely avoiding Sora's glare with a grin.

"A little _too_ friendly," Sora growls.

Vanitas disregards his little brother's comments and steps to the side to look at Kairi who is twiddling her thumbs nervously with tinted cheeks.

"I do not advise office sex," he suddenly says, and Sora feels the sudden urge to rip his brother's head off. Kairi, on the other hand, sees that she isn't the only one who is aware of Sora's habits.

"Workplace relationships are frowned upon in Caelum Industries," Vanitas continues, "and the office walls are either thin or made completely of glass; but hey, if you want to give us a show, I'm not stopping you."

"_Van_!" Sora whines. "Shut _up_."

"I-it's quite all right, Sora," Kairi says. She straightens herself out and calmly looks at Vanitas to maintain professionalism–something that takes Sora and Axel aback. Most girls would just blush and scurry away in embarrassment (with the exception of Larxene, of course, who wouldn't hesitate to punch the lights out of anyone).

"Thank you, Vanitas," Kairi says. She bows politely to show him respect. "I will keep that in mind."

He crosses his arms and nods at her, clearly impressed. The elevator doors finally open on the twenty-fifth floor, and Sora, Kairi, and Axel exit the elevator together, but not before Axel and Vanitas share a well-deserved high five.

"Don't mind them. They're all freaks," Sora mutters as he pulls Kairi down the hallway with his hand tightly wrapped around her wrist.

They pass by Larxene's work desk and the secretary nearly drops the apple she's holding when she sees Sora hastily dragging a woman behind him.

"Hey babe," Axel greets as he leans on the edge of the wooden desk. "Is Roxas in yet?"

"Yeah, he just got in five minutes ago," Larxene replies distantly. "Hey, did I just see Sora with-"

"Yeah," Axel interrupts with a chuckle.

Larxene crosses her arms with an amused grin. "Well, this should be interesting. It isn't everyday that Sora brings his toys to work."

As Sora pulls his assistant down the hallway, Kairi can't help but notice that Sora's workplace is much fancier than his mother's little flower shop, but that wasn't much of a surprise. She expected nothing but the best from Caelum Industries, and the best is what she gets. It is simplicity at its best complete with marble floors, steel desks, pin lights, a mixture of white, charcoal, and glass walls, and oddly shaped sculptures. In comparison to the Pink Ribbon, it did seem high end and over the top, but it lacked colour and life –something that Kairi would dearly miss. She sighs and pulls her folders closer to her chest. For the sake of her future as a writer, she would work here, and she would endure it.

"Omph!" Kairi exclaims when she clumsily knocks into a wall; however, after feeling up said wall, she realizes that it wasn't actually a wall she bumped into, but a person. A very built and very familiar person.

"Riku," Sora greets, and for the first time that morning, Kairi sees a smile on her boss' face.

"Hey," Riku says, slowly and unsurely. He keeps his gaze on Kairi, whose hands are still on the lapels of his blazer. She blushes and pushes herself away, only to lose balance and bump into Sora behind her. With her back to his chest and his hands on her elbows, Sora clears his throat and straightens her for the second time that morning.

"You really need to get used to wearing heels," Sora says while rubbing the back of his head with tinted cheeks. Kairi merely nods and looks at Riku apologetically.

"I'm-"she starts.

"It's okay," Riku interrupts, raising a hand to stop her. "You're… double double, right?"

Kairi chuckles and tucks some of her claret hair behind her ear. Even until now, Riku had remembered her order from when they first met at the Usual Spot.

"Yes," she answers, "but I do prefer being called Kairi."

"You look different," Riku points out. Kairi gives him a look, and the albino haired boy feels the need to clear his throat before adding, "A good different."

"Thank you," Kairi says, and for a moment, indigo meets viridian, and a glint of fascination flashes through Riku's eyes.

"I do miss the glasses though," he then adds playfully. "They were… uh, quirky."

Kairi chuckles lightly again and bows her head to avoid eye contact. "Thank you."

"Wow," Sora says while crossing his arms with a smug grin. "You two are acting like two high school kids talking to their longtime crush."

Riku and Kairi jump, clearly startled by Sora's random and unnecessary comment.

Riku coughs into his fist and straightens his composure. "We have a meeting to attend, Sora."

The younger man merely grins at his best friend knowingly before taking in what he had just said. "Wait, we have a meeting today?"

"Yes, didn't you check your emails this morning?" Riku asks with his arms crossed. "Or were you too busy checking out something else?" He wriggles his silver eyebrows in Kairi's direction.

Sora's lips form a straight, tight line as Riku smirks victoriously. Kairi, thankfully, remains oblivious.

"Kairi," Sora says, and he has her attention almost immediately. "My office is the last door on the right corridor. Feel free to wait there until I get back."

She bows slightly before following his orders, but before walking away, she says, "It was nice seeing you again, Riku."

"Likewise," he says, nodding after her. When she is out of earshot, Riku turns his attention back to a smirking Sora.

"Likewise," he mimics in a high-pitched voice while flicking his brown hair girlishly.

"Fuck off," Riku says, but a smile is present on his face when he shoves his best friend aside.

* * *

><p>Minutes later, Kairi wipes her forehead with a tired sigh and stands up to admire her work. Moments ago, Sora's office was the epitome of hell in the workplace. Papers and blueprints mixed with trash were scattered all over the floor, over twenty empty coffee cups sat on display on his bookshelf, and all his tools, books, and binders were not in their rightful places. It was as if she had ventured into the confusion of Sora's cluttered mind herself. How did he manage to get any of his jobs done beforehand?<p>

Now, everything was in its rightful place, and Sora's office looked neat and tidy. Kairi secretly hopes that things will stay this way, although she admittedly doesn't have much faith in her boss when it comes to matters of organization (the numerous ties on the floor of his bedroom could attest to that). Perhaps this new atmosphere would rub off on his mindset?

Kairi sighs. She knows that that is nothing but wishful thinking on her part.

The door suddenly opens, and Sora stumbles in with Riku, who seems to be laughing amusedly at her boss' annoyed expression. Their expressions turn completely blank all of a sudden when they stop dead in their tracks to admire the makeover of Sora's office.

"I can't believe it," Riku says. His face lights up like a child's on Christmas morning. "Sora's office actually has a floor! Bravo, double double, bravo!"

Sora takes slow, careful steps forward, looking as if he is unsure of reality. He hadn't expected Kairi to clean up his mess, and in such record time. How long were he and Riku gone? Like, forty-five minutes? It would have taken him a _week_ at the least to sort out all his papers.

"All your blueprints are in alphabetical order on your bookshelf, the paperwork of your clients is also in alphabetical order in the drawers behind you, and I even took the liberty of taking down important dates for you. I already have a calendar filled out on my phone," Kairi says, flashing him the new smart phone he bought her the other day. "It excludes out of town trips since those are ultimately decided by the President, but apart from that, you shouldn't forget about any more important meetings."

"Gee, Kairi," Sora says as he rubs the back of his head sheepishly, "I really appreciate what you've done, but you didn't have to do this."

"Trust me, it was more for me than for you," Kairi says cheekily.

Riku chuckles and, without warning, claps his best friend on the back. "I think she's done more than enough for day one, Sora. You should consider giving her a raise, or a little…_ something something _if you know what I mean."

Sora gives the older man a warning look, but luckily, Kairi goes in for the save.

"Oh, that's nonsense, Riku," she says lightheartedly. "There's no need for that. It was my pleasure, really."

Sora scratches his cheek with his lips pursed in thought. "Riku is right, though. You do need a break." He suddenly snaps his fingers with a grin. "How about we go out to Atlantica for lunch before the presentation this afternoon? My treat."

Little did Kairi know that this was the first invitation of many.

* * *

><p>"So how was your first week at Caelum Industries?" Xion asks as she and Kairi take their seats at The Usual Spot the following week. "You look really good, by the way."<p>

Kairi blushes and timidly redirects her gaze onto her lap. "Thanks. Selphie helped me out." Xion nods in understanding, as she is familiar with the young designer. "As for work, it's… interesting."

"Really now?" Xion asks as she examines her selections on the menu, but it is completely pointless. She already has it memorized by heart. "How so? Meet any interesting people?"

"Well, I met Axel and Vanitas last Monday," Kairi starts. Xion is unsure whether to laugh or apologize, but luckily, Kairi continues. "Is it just me, or is Vanitas…"

"Hot?" Xion finishes with a chuckle. Kairi shamefully nods. "Don't beat yourself up for thinking it. You wouldn't be the first. As for Axel, he's a great guy. Close friend of mine, actually. He's a bit like Sora in the sense that he's incredibly flirtatious, but he's got some unique things to bring. He always pulls through in the end and cares for those around him."

"He seems like a great guy," Kairi admits, remembering all the times that he'd left the elevator doors open for her. After Olette takes their orders, Kairi continues their conversation. "I ran into Riku on the first day, too."

"Oh, you've met him before?" Xion asks curiously.

"Yeah, in here, actually," Kairi says. "He bought me coffee when I was holding up the line a while back and he has consistently referred to me as_ double double _since then."

"Hold up, that's cute," Xion says as she pulls out her smart phone.

Kairi chuckles in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Typing that down. Might use it in a book in the future," Xion shamelessly admits. "So, Riku, huh?" Xion asks with suggestive eyebrows.

"Yes," Kairi answers, and there is a slight dreaminess to her tone. "They have a bromance, don't they? Him and Sora?"

"Hale yeah. I ship them," Xion says jokingly. "In all honesty though, I'm so glad Sora has him around. They've been best friends since they were kids, you know, and that puts Riku at a great advantage. He understands Sora in a way that a lot of us can't, and he'll do anything to ensure that his best friend is happy. Did you know he was offered the role of President twice?_ Twice_, but he turned them both down. He would have been stationed in Radiant Garden, but he stayed because he wanted to be with Sora."

It is Kairi's turn to raise her eyebrows suggestively. "Is this _admiration_ I sense, Xion?"

"God, no," she replies—rather hastily, Kairi may add. "Well, yeah, but not in the way you think."

"Sure," Kairi says unconvincingly as she sips her lemon water.

"What about Sora, hmm?" asks the black haired girl in attempts to change the topic. "Has he been treating you nicely or has he been a total ass?"

"Actually, he surprised me most of all," Kairi admits. Xion rests her elbows on the wooden surface of the table and rests her chin on her palms, eager to listen.

Kairi suddenly recalls being backstage for the first time while watching Riku and Sora do their thing onstage. While Riku focused more on the technical aspects of the weapon being presented, Sora specialized in crowd involvement. He had a way with words and people that Kairi had never experienced before. He carried himself with confidence and was persuasive, professional, and entertaining. Watching him demonstrate the weapon's capabilities was nothing short of fascinating, and he had nearly every person on the edge of their seats.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Pulse Observation Battalion, thank you for coming here today to witness the latest in cutting edge keyblade technology," Sora said into his head mic. "My name is Sora Fair, and my friend Riku Masamune and I will be the demonstrators for this afternoon's presentation. The following model is designed by New Twilight's very own Aqua Brightblade."

"It is formally known as model number NTX-53," Riku informed, "but in agreement with its creator and our President, it has been named the _Rainfell_."

"Now I'm sure you're all wondering why this keyblade differs from the many that have already been released," Sora said as he paced around the stage of the auditorium. "I've personally tried it myself and I can confidently say that I have never tried anything like it before."

"Its bulky appearance may deceive you, but it is made of lightweight adamantite steel, thus making it easy to carry around," said Riku.

"And what it lacks in reach, it makes up for in strength and magic boosts," Sora added, and the soldiers were already struck with fascination. "It also contains a built-in scope that allows for greater precision."

"We are all aware that Pulse is crawling with intriguing and dangerous wildlife that have yet to be discovered," Riku continued, "So in case they attack without warning, this keyblade is built to execute any spell that may address to the creatures' weaknesses."

"It is capable of executing status ailments as well as fire rounds, blizzard rounds, and my personal favourite, explosive thunder rounds," Sora said. Then, with an eager grin, he took the blade on display and faced his partner. "Riku, would you like to be my test dummy?"

Riku merely chuckled. "No thank you, Sora. I quite enjoy the fact that my body is in one piece."

After a good laugh at more playful banter, the crowd _ooh_'d and _ahh_'d at Sora and Riku's magnificent performance. While Riku's demonstrations were concise, Sora's were playful and meant to be gazed upon with the wonder of a child. The elements danced around him in spirals of joy, and when the time came, Sora fired at the dummies provided and hit each one with great accuracy. The soldiers applauded with standing ovations, and by the end of the hour, even when Commander Yun Fang of the Battalion tested out the weapon herself, every Rainfell keyblade readily available was sent out to be delivered to Pulse's headquarters.

Back at The Usual Spot, Xion smirks behind her glass of water.

"Is this admiration I sense, Kairi?" she asks teasingly after Kairi recounts her thrilling experience.

"God, no," Kairi immediately stammers. Then, with a slight tint to her cheeks, she adds, "Well, yeah, but not in the way you're thinking…"

Luckily for Kairi, Olette arrives with their orders before Xion can press the matter any further; however, just as Olette places their orders on the table, she trips on the edge of Kairi's seat and falls forward. Xion's fast reflexes allow her to catch her in time, but the same can't be said for the food on the floor. Hayner is by his wife's side within seconds, and his hands immediately fly to her belly.

"Hun, are you both okay?" he asks with concerned eyes.

"Yeah, we're-"Xion stops when she realizes that Hayner isn't referring to her and Olette. Her eyes drift onto Hayner's protective hands over his wife's slightly swollen belly and her lips curve into a knowing smile.

"Olette, are you…?" Kairi asks for confirmation. With rosy cheeks, Olette nods timidly, and Kairi and Xion break out into excited gasps.

"Congratulations!" they both squeal, enveloping the married couple into a bone-crushing hug. Kairi finds herself smiling into the embrace, knowing that she's finally found herself a community after some time.

"Okay, okay," Hayner says as he hastily untangles his family from the possibly threatening contact. He then notices the mess on the floor and begins to clean it up alongside Xion and Kairi. "We'll get you all new meals. Sorry about that."

"No problem, _Papa Hayner_," Xion assures teasingly.

"Don't call me that," he grumbles as he takes his wife back to the counter. When he is out of earshot, the girls begin to giggle into their hands.

"Augh, that makes me feel so behind," Kairi admits jokingly. "Olette's like a year older than me and she's already married and with child."

Xion snickers. "Well, you could always ask Sora to…"

"Oh my gosh, don't even _go _there," Kairi pleads as she covers her eyes. "I can't believe you'd even _suggest_ that."

After a few more chuckles, Xion and Kairi find themselves sitting in a comfortable silence. Kairi sits back in her chair, enjoying the warmth of the setting sun on her face with her eyes closed. Xion crosses her arms and grins. It was only two weeks ago that Sora had stormed out on her for suggesting that he ask Kairi to be his assistant. Now, not only was she his assistant, but someone he appreciated.

_I know he could never admit it_, Riku had said in his e-mail last night, _but Sora's glad to have her around. She makes his mornings, if not his life, a little easier. She's already getting through to him, and the remnants of the old Sora are returning. It'll be a slow burn, but it's already started. _

_-Riku  
>PS. Take care of yourself, Xi.<em>

Back at the café, Xion rests her chin on the palms of her hands and looks at Kairi admirably. "Well, I think Sora's starting to open up to you," she says.

Kairi laughs half-heartedly and gazes out the window. "Yeah, I guess."

* * *

><p>Thursday night finds Kairi lounging in her room, flipping through the last chapters of Xion's book. Just as she was approaching the final pages with tear-filled eyes, the lights in her room begin to flicker. At first, she waves it off, but it happens again, and again, and again. Finally, the lights in her room give out, and she is left in complete darkness. With widened eyes, Kairi drops her book and rushes to her window. One by one, the buildings of New Twilight lose their power, and the city that never sleeps finally closes its eyes.<p>

_A blackout,_ Kairi suspects as she curls into a ball. She's always hated the dark. There was always something sinister and mysterious about it, and her imagination always convinced her to expect the worst-case scenario. She begins to feel her surroundings in attempts to locate her flashlight, but a knock on the door distracts her from her mission.

"Kairi?" comes Sora's muffled voice from the other side. Judging by the light seeping through from the bottom of her door, Sora had already found his. "Are you in there?"

"Yeah," Kairi answers, but her voice comes out weaker than she'd expected. She hears Sora type in her room code before the door slides to the side. A blinding light suddenly hits her square in the face, and she feels like a deer in headlights.

"Sorry," Sora says as he lowers his flashlight. "I was just making sure you were okay and wha—are you crying?" he asks when he gets a good look at her face. He places a hand on his hip with an amused grin. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark."

"What? No," Kairi says as she wipes a hand over her eyes. She finds it surprisingly wet. "Oh," she says in realization, "I was… I was just reading the ending to Xion's book and got a little emotional."

"Uh huh," Sora says unconvincingly as he walks towards her window. "The whole city's out. I can't get service anywhere," he informs, and Kairi can't help but notice how lost he looks. "This has never happened before. How long do you think it'll last?"

"Not sure," Kairi says, her voice now noticeably solid. The scent of Sora's cologne and the presence of another human alone effortlessly lifts her spirits more than she'd care to admit. "Were you doing something important when the power went out?"

Sora sighs as he plops down next to her. "Yeah. I was in my office sending an e-mail to President Manse—Xemnas," he coughs.

Kairi chuckles at their boss' nickname and falls back onto her bed. "If it was the e-mail concerning the malfunctions of the Blazefire Saber, I already sent it to him. He said that the demonstration has been postponed and has scheduled a meeting for 2:15PM tomorrow."

"Huh," Sora says as he feels his muscles relax. "Thank you."

"It's my job," Kairi replies with a grin.

After a few moments of silence pass, Sora finds himself falling back onto Kairi's bed himself. The close proximity is alien to him. Four months ago, he made it a personal goal to distance himself from the girl beside him. Now, he counted on her on a daily basis, and the distance between them was no more than four feet. It had been a long time since he could trust someone, and Kairi was sure doing a good job so far.

"So," he says awkwardly. "What should we do?" Last time he checked, it was no later than 8:30PM—far too early for bedtime, and "fuck" clearly wasn't an option. His laptop, tablet, and cellphone were already running out of battery, and what good were they without wifi?

"I don't know," Kairi admits. "Don't you have a _lady friend _in your room that you have to entertain?"

"Nah," Sora says with a smirk gracing his lips. Kairi giggles and turns to look at her boss whose eyes seem to be fixated on the ceiling. Nowadays he rarely had the time to bring any girls home seeing as he now had to drive her home with him every night.

"Maybe we should… light some candles?" he suggests.

"Or maybe we should get some supplies," Kairi proposes.

"Supplies," Sora repeats with a chuckle. "It's a blackout, Kairi, not the apocalypse."

His assistant is mentally thankful for the dark that shrouds the blush on her cheeks. "W-well, I've never experienced this before, okay? Who knows how long this outage will last? It doesn't hurt to be prepared!"

"Sounds like too much work," Sora says as he stretches and turns his back to her.

"You're such a lazy bum," Kairi openly states. She suddenly shoots up from her bed and curses. Sora does the same out of shock.

"Kairi, what is it?" he asks fearfully. "What's wrong?"

She merely curses again and runs towards the kitchen with Sora's flashlight in hand. Sora decides to follow her and nearly trips over a small table in the process. He manages to find her to the kitchen where she forcefully opens the freezer and retrieves a box of icy cold goodness.

"Seriously?" Sora asks as Kairi unwraps one of the popsicles from the package. "You had me worked up over _ice cream_?"

"_Sea-salt ice cream_," Kairi specifies while sticking the treat into her mouth. After taking a seat on the counter, she offers him a treat as well. He is reluctant to accept it at first, but he hasn't had sea-salt ice cream since he was merely a child. He sits next to her on the island and places the treat into his mouth.

Flashes of his childhood immediately flood his brain: the feeling of the whitest sands in between his toes, the taste of salt water, the sound of laughter as he runs across the shoreline to catch up to his older brothers…

He then focuses on the vaguely familiar taste of the treat and twitches when he remembers just how salty sea-salt ice cream really is, but he finds the corners of his mouth turning upward when a sweet sensation takes over and enlivens his taste buds. He quickly grows addicted to the taste, and by the time he reaches his third popsicle, he realizes that there are none left in the box.

"Rescuing the ice cream doesn't sound so stupid now, huh?" Kairi says as she licks the last treat victoriously. The sight causes Sora to twitch. Was she not aware of the sexual innuendo behind that gesture?

"U-uh," he says as he pulls on the collar of his sweater, "You wouldn't happen to have any more of those, do you?"

"Nope," she says, popping the "P" as she removes the popsicle from her mouth. Sora feels his eye twitch again. "But I'm sure the convenience store around the corner is desperate to sell all their ice cream before it melts. Maybe there'll be a blackout discount, too!" Kairi adds enthusiastically.

"A quest for ice cream?" Sora ponders the idea while scratching his chin. "Well, all the ice cream in the city _is_ going to melt without a hero…"

"We'd be doing a public service," Kairi further justifies.

"Yes, we would, wouldn't we?" Sora asks, but it isn't really a question. "Well, we don't have anything better to do, so how about it, Kairi? Shall we scavenge the area for some sea-salt ice cream?"

Kairi jumps off the counter and cracks her knuckles with an excited grin. "It would be my pleasure."

Five minutes later, the two young adults find themselves walking down the stairway of the sixteenth floor with nothing but Sora's flashlight as a light source.

"Wow, we're really doing this," Sora says as he watches his step. "We're going to rescue the city from melting ice cream."

"Did you think it was going to be an empty proposal?" Kairi asks from behind him.

"Well, it's just… can you imagine what the company will think when they find out that two of their employees are hunting the city down for sea-salt ice cream?"

"The company can suck it," Kairi says.

Sora grins madly. "Most of the employees already have."

Kairi gags and pretends to throw up. "That's disgusting. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"I'm only joking," Sora assures, but his laughter is cut short when his flashlight lands on the faces of two equally frightened young adults. He had been so immersed in his conversation with Kairi that he hadn't even listened for potentially threatening footsteps.

The four of them screamed with widened eyes for quite some time, their yells waking the entire building (and potentially half the entire city) until Sora squints and examines the people they've encountered.

"Wha—Hayner? Olette?" he squeaks when he recognizes the familiar owners of his favourite café.

With shaking arms, Hayner lowers the struggle bat in his hands while his wife emerges from his right shoulder.

"Sora?" he asks unsteadily. "And… Kairi?"

It is then that Sora notices the thin arms around his shoulders. Behind him, perched on a higher step, is Kairi hugging him from behind. After tensing slightly, he clears his throat and she immediately gets the hint. She finds herself in debt to the darkness once again for concealing her tinted cheeks.

"What are you two doing here?" Sora asks. He recalls the newly married couple moving into the tenth floor if he wasn't mistaken.

"Searching for wifi," Hayner admits shamelessly. "We thought our chances would be better from a higher altitude."

Sora claps his friend on the shoulder and gives him a sad smile. "I hate to break it to you buddy, but you'll have no luck up there. I would know. Kairi and I live on the highest floor. The whole city's out."

Hayner sighs disappointedly and accepts defeat with a groan. "Well then, what were you two up to?"

"We were going down to the convenience store to get some ice cream," Sora admits sheepishly.

Hayner snaps his fingers with a grin. "That is such a good idea. Why didn't I think of that? I have to finish off all the tubs in the freezer before they turn into a hopeless mess on the floor!"

Kairi chuckles as she leans against the railings. "Last time I checked, Olette was the pregnant one, not you."

While Hayner lets out a sarcastic laugh, Sora jumps at the new information.

"Wait, Olette, you're pregnant?" he asks. When she nods, he congratulates her then turns to Hayner with a sly grin. "Yeah Hayner, gettin' it in!"

"You know me, bro," the other man says as he playfully dusts something off his shoulder. Kairi and Olette merely roll their eyes.

"Men," they say in unison, and they giggle at the coincidence.

"Well I wouldn't want to keep you two waiting," Hayner says as he steps out of the way. "There's ice cream out there that needs saving."

"Thank you for helping with such a noble cause," Sora says as he salutes past the couple.

"Aren't you going to save your ice cream?" Kairi asks.

"Maybe later," Hayner says. "I think I'll just take Olette up to the roof and we'll just bask under the moonlight for awhile because chicks dig that romantic shit." Sora and Kairi laugh as Olette playfully smacks her husband's arm. After a final farewell, the two part ways and go in opposite directions.

"They are so sweet," Kairi gushes as they descend past the seventh floor.

"Yeah they're pretty cute I guess," Sora admits.

Kairi flicks some hair behind her ear victoriously upon hearing this confession. "So, still think it's infatuation?"

Sora nearly loses his footing on the next step but manages to grab the rails in time. After straightening himself and regaining his balance, he merely says "Meh" and keeps walking.

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe that guy gave us all four boxes for free," Kairi says as she happily skips towards their apartment door with four cases of sea-salt ice cream in hand. "We're going to get so fat."<p>

"I'm pretty sure we already burned all of it off walking up and down those stairs," Sora says breathlessly as he fishes his pockets for the keys.

"You're telling me. I could really use some cold paopu juice right now, but that's not happening under the circumstances we're in."

"Paopu juice," Sora repeats as he fumbles with the keys. "Is that like your favourite or something?" he asks for the sake of conversation.

"Just something I crave when it's really hot," Kairi answers. "Hey, should we give some ice cream to Xion and Yuffie?" she asks when her eyes linger on their neighbour's door.

"Nah," Sora says as he jerks the key into the lock.

"You just want it all for yourself," Kairi accuses when Sora pushes open their door.

"Well yeah," her housemate says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Besides, Yuffie doesn't like ice cream and Xion doesn't like sea-salt ice cream in particular."

"Really?" Kairi asks, surprised. Who wouldn't enjoy the icy cold foodgasm that is the sea-salt ice cream bar?

"It reminds her of things she doesn't want to remember," Sora says as he kicks the door shut behind him, and a serious air suddenly fills the apartment. Kairi follows Sora into the kitchen without question and he insists that they eat their treats outside on the terrace so that they can get some fresh air in the process of their enjoyment.

Their terrace—or rather, Sora's terrace—is medium sized, but cozy. It consists of a coffee table and a few couches under a cube shaped wooden gazebo, a circular fireplace, and a small flower garden (courtesy of Sora's mother, no doubt). They take their seats on opposite couches under the gazebo where they eat their desserts, enjoy the breeze, and gaze upon the city simultaneously.

As Sora leans back in his cushioned seat, he can't help but remember how strange it had been walking down the streets of New Twilight during a blackout. The city that usually bustled with life was lost without a trace of electricity. The ads that once screamed at him were silent and the streets that were once filled with people rushing to be somewhere were now still. Businesspeople emerged from their cars and their buildings to pack the streets with their sweaty bodies and unanswered questions. On their faces were confused and slightly frightened expressions, and as the minutes passed, the more their poise and professionalism diminished.

Now that time was suspended, what did they retreat to?

Sora hated to admit it, but had he not been with Kairi, he probably would've been just as lost and stuck in traffic with another girl that he'd attempt to seduce at home. He mentally thanks her for having a place to be and having something to do amidst the chaos.

Kairi, on the other hand, barely touches her food, and Sora notices.

"You haven't said much since we got out here," he points out. "Something bothering you?"

"This was so unprofessional of me," she immediately says. She tosses an empty popsicle stick onto the coffee table and smoothes out her dress. "I insisted that we buy ice cream, screamed and grabbed onto you on the stairwell, and squealed like a teenage girl at the sight of Olette and Hayner. You must think your assistant is a child—one that isn't worthy to work for Caelum Industries."

Sora nearly laughs. "Hey, you don't always have to be so formal around me. I'm not your boss right now, I'm your housemate. Nothing you say to me here will jeopardize your position at work or anything," he assures as he begins to remove his tie. "Besides, sea-salt ice cream is my favourite. I wanted to get it, too. We went on that quest upon mutual agreement, so that makes me your partner in crime."

When Kairi can't conceal the relieved smile on her face, Sora lets out a chuckle and hands her a bar of sea-salt ice cream himself. After accepting the treat graciously, his assistant tucks some hair behind her left ear and gives him a look that he can't quite place.

"So," she says while raising an eyebrow. "Sea-salt ice cream is actually your favourite, huh?"

"Uh, yeah," he answers dumbly. "Why?"

"Oh nothing, just…" she leans back into her seat and looks at the vast city below them before responding. "I think that's the first time you've ever told me about something you liked."

After briefly considering the fact, Sora realizes that she's right, and as he finishes the last of his seventh bar, he can't help but notice that amidst the darkness, he's finally shown a lighter side of himself to someone apart from Riku since the incident.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Oh my gosh I am so sorry for the incredibly late update—I ruined my roll! I hope this long-ish chapter made up for it, though. I had a few school things to deal with, but I think updates should be more consistent starting now. I also blame the changes I made to this chapter. It was<strong>_** completely**_** different from what I had planned before. I hope it was still okay, though!**

**So, a few things to say about this chapter. Does anyone do that thing that Xion does in the café? I write down everything I find cute on my phone and use them in fics later lmao. That explains the 900+ notes, I guess. And I don't know about you, but I think Axel is starting to become my favourite character in this fic lol. We also get a sneaky peeky at the relationship between Riku and Xion. I'm not going to say much about it so that it can remain mysterious. **

**Any who, Sora's going through some major character development here! I actually got the idea for a blackout when I experienced a much less serious one about a year ago. It only lasted like an hour, so my candles didn't suffer too much damage, but my ice cream did. I realized that I should've eaten it when I found it leaking in the freezer LOL. I figured that ice cream represented joy and childhood, and I wanted Sora to share this side of him to Kairi for the first time. Their encounter with Olette and Hayner also shows how his views have been challenged and slightly altered. You go, Kairi.**

**Special thanks to **TheNiceCritic, mellowsky, jamesfreakinbond, Crush-Chan17, LinkMaster997, Amulet Misty, SoraxKairi7, **and** Wildgirl404 **for reviewing the last chapter and to those who have favourited this story and put it on alert! I apologize if I misspelled any pen names or missed ****anyone.**

**I hope you enjoyed the seventh installment of D&L. I'll start working on the next chapter asap, and hopefully it'll be up a lot sooner! Sorry for any grammar or spelling errors that I might have missed!**


	8. Chapter 8

**eight**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of eight._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move back three spaces._

.

.

.

Sora breathes heavily as he wipes off the perspiration that has formed at the back of his neck. As he looks up at the artificial white-hot sun beating down on him, he finds his vision growing hazy. His legs feel weak, his arms grow heavy, and his breathing becomes uneven. He's getting tired.

His eyes then widen in fear when he hears footsteps approaching from his right. With one swift movement, he brings his keyblade up over his head to block the incoming attack and dodge rolls to the side.

"Don't tell me you're ready to quit," Riku taunts as he swings model NTX-08 (Way to the Dawn) over his shoulder. "We're just getting started."

"I didn't have breakfast this morning, okay?" Sora reasons. He and Kairi had fallen asleep under the gazebo last night, and when the sun rose to greet him, he awoke to the sound of Kairi frantically screaming at him whilst pointing at her watch. The power was back on, but there was absolutely no time to squeeze in a good breakfast. Everything in the fridge was pretty much garbage.

Sora groans when he hears his stomach grumble. He had already grown so used to eating breakfast with Kairi in the morning that he felt… dare he say 'incomplete' without it. Functioning properly seemed impossible without her tasty crepes and pancakes.

Riku doesn't seem to take pity on him, though. He merely runs towards Sora at full speed with a fire spell at the ready, and his best friend has no choice but to run. He weaves in and out of the Doric columns that line themselves up on the side of the ancient coliseum and dodges every blow that Riku throws at him. He fires a couple of fire rounds in retaliation, but Riku dodges them with ease.

Riku slashes at Sora's midsection, but the younger man manages to back flip in time to dodge it. He lands on the tip of Riku's blade and aims a blizzard spell at his head, but he is thrown upward as a form of defense. Sora gracefully lands with an aero spell, and just as he is about to ready another fire spell, a familiar female voice booms across the arena through the speakers.

"Play time's over boys!" Kairi announces. "Meeting's in half an hour!"

The boys continue to fight as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"I have food!" Kairi screams excitedly. Sora's ears perk upward and his mouth begins to water upon hearing this. Riku growls when his sparring partner begins to run in the opposite direction.

"Oh no you don't!" he exclaims as he spins horizontally in mid air to send a powerful current of air in Sora's direction. The brunet falls forward at the amount of force put into the spell and nearly falls flat on his face if it weren't for his fast reflexes.

The arena around them then shatters like glass and a dark room with glowing grids on all sides stands in its place. On the other side of the wall made entirely of glass, Kairi clutches two paper bags to her chest, and her eyes hold their usual fascination from whenever she watches the boys spar. It surprises her that they never fail to give her a show every time.

Back in the training room, Sora gives Riku a sly grin.

"Were you trying to show off for your girlfriend back there?" he asks as Riku helps him off the floor. The silver-haired man merely scoffs and crosses his arms.

A knock on the glass wall distracts the two from their conversation. Behind it, Kairi waves at them and points at the paper bags in her arms. While Sora runs towards the exit with the eagerness of a child, Riku makes his way over to her with calmer, reserved strides.

When they arrive in the control room, the two boys step into the pods in the corner where a cylindrical blue light changes their clothing from battle armour to business attire. They step off looking and smelling as good as new and Kairi once again marvels at the power of Caelum Industries' technology.

"Now why can't we have that at home?" Kairi asks jokingly. She knows it would be a) ridiculous looking and b) ridiculously expensive. "It would be so convenient in the morning."

"Well it takes the fun out of undressing someone," Sora jokes with a wink. After rolling her eyes playfully, Kairi tosses him one of the paper bags and he scarfs down its contents almost immediately. As Riku straightens his tie, Kairi approaches him with a warm smile.

"Here," she says, offering him the second bag.

Riku accepts it slowly but graciously. "Thank you," he says while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "But you didn't need to-"

"It's nothing," Kairi insists, patting the bag in his hands. He simply gives her a small nod and reciprocates her smile.

"So do you have any idea what this meeting is about?" Riku asks as he, Sora, and Kairi make their way down the hallway.

"Beats me," Sora answers with a mouth full of French fries.

"I think it has something to do with the postponing of the Blazefire Saber demonstration," Kairi guesses as she calls the elevator. When the three step inside, they see that there is already another occupant leaning against the back wall.

"Well hello," Axel greets. "You look lovely today, Kairi."

"As do you, Axel," she returns with a bow, because in the span of a week, she had already grown used to his flirtatious and teasing antics.

"So what did you two do when the lights were out, hm?" Axel asks while wiggling his eyebrows in Sora and Kairi's direction.

"Eating sea-salt ice cream," Kairi answers as normally as possible.

"Oh?" Axel asks, clearly unconvinced. "Is that code for something? Did you enjoy sucking on those popsicles, Kairi?"

Riku nearly chokes on his burger.

"Yeah, I had eight of them," Sora says with a wink. Kairi nods, playing along.

"Eight?" Axel repeats as the elevator doors open. "I'm impressed, little red riding hood."

"You know how I do," Kairi says jokingly. Because she is fully aware that she is not allowed in the meeting room, Kairi then makes her way down to her boss' office where she oftentimes waits for Riku and Sora to return.

"You know something, Fair? You snagged a good one," Axel says as the three of them make their way to the meeting room.

"Yeah she's all right," Sora admits with a grin. As he tosses his empty paper bag into the trash bin, Riku and Axel share a look of surprise before entering the meeting room.

* * *

><p>Back in Sora's office, Kairi receives a call from her mother in regards to her new job.<p>

"We're just a little concerned, Kairi," her mother says on the other line. "You turn down Law in order to study Journalism, you move all the way to New Twilight on your own to become a writer, and now you're not even doing what you want to do."

"Mom, trust me. Working for Caelum Industries is a very good opportunity," Kairi assures. "Think of it as… a minor setback, but one that opens many doors."

"Honey, are you sure you don't want to come home?" her mother then asks, clearly unconvinced of her daughter's happiness.

A series of memories suddenly come rushing through Kairi's head: Aerith smiling at her behind a bouquet of flowers, Selphie clapping her hands in excitement, Naminé extending her dainty little hand to show off her engagement ring, Hayner gazing at Olette lovingly behind the counter, Axel saluting her farewell as the elevator doors close in front of him, Xion handing her her first book, Riku smiling nervously at The Usual Spot, Sora laughing behind the wheel of his Bugatti…

"No, mom," Kairi says as gently as possible. "I think I'm all right here for now."

"Well, we miss you," her mother says after some time. "Does your job allow you any time to visit home?"

"I'm not sure," Kairi admits, because as far as she can recall, the President calls the final shots on out of town trips, and the chances of them going to Destiny Islands were slim to none.

"Then maybe we'll have to go over there sometime," her mother suggests.

"Um, sure," Kairi says while pulling out her tablet. "Do you have a date in mind?"

As she and her mother attempt to schedule a date, Sora and Riku walk in and immediately silence themselves when they realize that Kairi is on the phone. The redhead locks eyes with a curious Sora and an apologetic expression immediately makes its way to her face.

"Listen, mom, I have to go. My boss is here," Kairi says desperately.

"It's her mother on the phone. Do _not_ make sex noises in the background," Riku warns, knowing his best friend all too well.

"I won't," Sora whispers back.

Riku raises an eyebrow in suspicion. "Are you sure?"

"I promise," Sora says reassuringly.

"Yeah, just give me a call beforehand. Yes. Sure. Mhm. Okay, bye mom," Kairi says hastily, and just as she is about to hit _End Call_, Sora lets out an excruciatingly loud and obnoxious moan that would surely give her mother the wrong impression. Riku immediately smacks his best friend's head in disapproval.

"Kairi, what was that?" her mother asks frantically.

"Nothing, mom! Just a… cat," Kairi lies with red cheeks. "Okay I really I have to go now bye!" When she officially ends the call, she narrows her eyes in Sora's direction.

"Well, now I know that I apparently sound like a cat when I undergo an orgasm," Sora says.

"You're so immature," Kairi spits.

"Says the one who scavenged the city for ice cream last night," Sora retorts playfully.

"And who came with me on that quest?" Kairi challenges.

"Touché," Sora admits as he jumps into his computer chair, and Kairi can't help but notice that he looks even happier than he did earlier.

"So what happened at the meeting?" Kairi asks curiously.

"The presentation for the Blazefire Saber is no longer taking place at our headquarters," Riku informs. "The Guardian Corps of the Bodhum Security Regiment cannot attend due to a transportation malfunction."

"So what does that mean exactly?" Kairi asks, because she knows what it insinuates, but she wants to hear it for herself in case she gets excited over nothing.

Sora dramatically spins 180 degrees on his computer chair and rests his elbows on his desk with an eager grin.

"It means we're going to Bodhum this weekend."

* * *

><p>"Bodhum?" Xion asks as she plops down on Kairi's bed.<p>

"Yup," Kairi says as she begins throwing various articles of clothing into her luggage. "My first out of town trip already! I'm so excited," she squeals.

"I'm so envious. That place is gorgeous," Xion says as she sighs dreamily.

"Have you been there before?" Kairi asks as she examines one of her sweaters.

"Once," Xion recalls as she stands up to snatch the article of clothing from Kairi's hands. "And apart from its breathtaking beaches, welcoming citizens, entertaining superstitions, and clean, modern architecture, I do remember it being _very_ hot, so you _cannot_ bring this with you," Xion says as she tosses the sweater back into Kairi's closet. "Come on, Kairi, show some skin! You used to live on Destiny Islands, didn't you?"

"I highly doubt that my clothes from back then would fit me properly now," Kairi points out. "Besides, I went to a private school, so I didn't own a lot of clothes apart from my uniform."

"So you mean to tell me that you have nothing suitable for the beach?" Xion asks as she places her hands on her hips.

Kairi shrugs with a nervous expression. "I studied in Radiant Garden for four years after high school. I never found the need for beach wear then."

Just as Xion is about to propose a last minute shopping trip, Sora calls Kairi from the living room.

"What is it?" she asks as she skips down the spiral staircase with Xion in tow.

"Package came in for you," he says while handing her a large black box with a matte finish. On the lid, the name _Belle _is engraved in silver lettering. "It's from Selphie."

"Huh, that's so nice of her," Kairi says as she accepts the box with great interest, but the instant Sora lets go, the full weight of the box suddenly hits her and she nearly drops it. Sora's hands immediately fly to the bottom of the box and he helps her steady herself with a chuckle.

"Do you need help with that?" he asks with an amused grin.

"N-no, I got it," Kairi insists as she hugs the package and lifts it up with her knee. As she wobbles her way back to the staircase, Xion smacks Sora's arm.

"I'm going, I'm going," he says in between chuckles. After Sora offers to carry the box up to Kairi's room, the redhead makes her way back to Xion with tinted cheeks.

"He's still kind of an ass," Kairi says as she blows a few strands of hair from her face.

"But a nice ass," Xion offers as she and Kairi make their way back upstairs.

"Yeah, he's all right I guess," Kairi admits with a small smile.

"If you ladies wanted to talk about my ass, please, don't let my presence disturb you," Sora teases as he emerges empty handed from Kairi's bedroom.

"Be gone, you," Xion says with shooing motions, and Sora wordlessly retreats into his own room.

"So what do you think is in the box?" Kairi asks as they re-enter her room.

"An anvil judging by the look on your face," Xion snickers.

As Kairi playfully rolls her eyes, she lifts the lid off the box and is surprised to see piles and piles of colourful clothing inside. At the top of the pile, a small note that smells like Serah Farron's latest perfume reads _For Bodhum_ in neat calligraphy.

"We're only going for the weekend—how much clothing does she think I need?" Kairi asks as she pulls out an orange maxi dress.

"Oh my gosh, that's adorable," Xion says as she runs her hands through the silky fabric. "I mean, if you don't want it all, I will _gladly_ take some off your hands."

"If you'd like to borrow them sometime, sure, go ahead," Kairi offers nonchalantly.

"I will take you up on that offer," Xion says without hesitation.

"Good," Kairi says as she carefully removes the rest of the clothing from the box. "Wha—what is this?" the redhead asks as she lifts a bikini top. "This is a—"but before she can finish protesting, another note falls onto her bed.

_It's not a piece of cloth,_ Selphie had written.

Xion stifles her laughter with a hand over her mouth. "Well she certainly knows you well."

"She doesn't actually expect me to wear this, does she?" Kairi asks as she looks at the swimsuit in horror.

Xion chuckles. "Kairi, it's a bikini, not the spawn of Satan."

"It's revealing as fuck," the redhead says with eyes skittish. "I might as well walk around naked."

"I'm sure Riku and Sora wouldn't mind that," Xion teases. She narrowly dodges the swimsuit thrown in her direction.

"So I finished reading your first book," Kairi says in attempts to change the topic.

Xion begins to twiddle with her thumbs nervously. "Oh, how'd you like it?"

"I cried at the end," Kairi admits as she unpacks her luggage to make room for her new wardrobe. "It was _so good_. Incredibly well written and filled with purpose. Never in my life have I been able to relate to a character so much. I saw such a great deal of myself within the main character. It was kind of scary, actually."

The raven-haired girl sighs in relief. "Good. That was the goal."

"Please tell me there's more," Kairi pleads. "I want to see how she moves on from the heartbreak."

_So do I,_ Xion thinks sadly. "I'm working on it," she admits weakly, but Kairi is too busy packing to notice her change in tone.

"So you don't have anything I can read on the plane?" Kairi asks, her bottom lip sticking out to form an adorable pout.

"Unfortunately no," Xion says, much to Kairi's chagrin. _Because a writer is only as good as their experiences,_ she adds bitterly.

"Well I'll be first in line for whatever work you create next," Kairi says with a supportive smile, and Xion acknowledges it with a firm nod. "So I've been wondering…," the redhead says after a few moments of silence, "does Sora travel this frequently?"

"Yeah," Xion answers. "Once or twice a month usually, so he wasn't _completely _ignoring you before," she adds teasingly.

"Really?" Kairi asks as her eyes brighten with excitement. "He gets to go everywhere?"

"Mhm," Xion replies with nonchalance. "Traverse Town, Radiant Garden, Midgar, Agrabah, you name it."

"That sounds amazing," Kairi squeals. She can no longer contain her excitement knowing that she is now part of such a great experience. Traveling the worlds was, and still is, a dream of hers that once seemed unattainable, but that didn't seem to be the case now.

Perhaps this minor setback wasn't such a setback after all.

* * *

><p>The Seaside City of Bodhum is not what Kairi expects.<p>

It's even better.

She had once thought that the brochures were overly photoshopped and re-coloured, but the white sands, crystal clear waters, vibrant plant life, and bright, welcoming neon signs begged to differ. Although nothing came close to the quaint, tranquil beaches of Destiny Islands, Kairi had to admit that this was a close second.

The resort they were staying at was beyond what she had imagined. There was hardly a place that wasn't a) white or b) made of glass, and workers greeted her from every corner with tireless smiles. Some even bowed in respect to acknowledge their employment in Caelum Industries. Kairi, who is wedged in between Sora and Riku when they enter the premises, finds herself waving shyly in return.

"Takes a while to get used to," Sora whispers, and Kairi can't help but notice that the sunset light seeping through the windows gives his eyes a sort of warmth that is difficult to ignore. She finds herself blushing and turning away before her staring becomes full on ogling. She can't deny that her boss is attractive, but that's what he is right now—her _boss_.

A young woman dressed in a Guardian Corps uniform approaches them in the lobby with confident strides. Her eyes are a stormy blue colour, and although her pale pink hair resembles that of cotton candy, her expression is plain and her voice is stern, strict, and unwavering.

"Vice President Ansem," she says whilst acknowledging his position with a bow.

"Lieutenant Farron," the VP, who stands in the front of the line, addresses with a nod.

"Your rooms are on the eighth floor. Please follow me as I escort you to them," the pink-haired woman says as she makes her way to the elevators. Her hips sway slightly when she walks and Kairi suddenly realizes that if she were a man, it would be even more difficult to tear her eyes off the flawless lieutenant.

"She is gorgeous," Kairi can't help but whisper. She nudges Sora with a knowing grin. "Are you going to try and sleep with her?"

"I tried once," Sora admits, but he doesn't put on the usual cocky smile that she typically associates with his womanizing. "It… didn't go so well."

"She kicked his ass," Axel explains with a laugh. As Sora frowns and bickers with the older man about his 'powerful charm', Riku maintains his calm demeanor.

"If I wasn't mistaken, I found your head in the trash can that same night, Axel," the silver-haired man reminds with closed eyes.

"Yeah, that Lightning Farron's a feisty one," Axel confesses. "But don't you worry. She's just playing hard to get. She'll want the D soon enough."

"If by D you mean Death, then yeah, she'll want that," Sora snickers.

Five minutes later, Kairi is informed that she'll be rooming with Larxene. When she enters the small but more than adequate room, the secretary is already conversing with Axel and another familiar figure.

"Kairi!" Roxas exclaims with a surprised look, and she notices the differences between him and his twin almost immediately. While Sora's posture is more laid back, Roxas' is straighter, and while Roxas' eyes are a glassy blue, Sora's are somewhat hypnotic and deeper, like the ocean.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas then asks.

"I'm, uh… I work as Sora's assistant," Kairi replies timidly. She is unsure how to speak to the man that is both her cousin's fiancé and her boss' heartbreaker. She ultimately decides that keeping her cool is her best bet.

"Really? Axel told me that my brother hired an assistant, but he didn't tell me it was you," Roxas says as he crosses his arms accusingly at his best friend. "Some best man you are."

"I didn't think you two knew each other," Axel says with his arms raised in surrender. "Does it make a difference?"

"It does, actually. Kairi's Naminé's maid of honour," Roxas informs with an excited smile.

"Well isn't that interesting," Larxene says with an amused grin. "Can you imagine what little Sora would think if he found out that his assistant was helping with his brother's wedding?"

"Please don't tell him," Kairi immediately pleads. It would already be bad enough if Sora found out about the wedding, but if he heard that she was _helping_—well, everything would be in jeopardy.

"Relax, we won't," Axel assures, and there is a kindness in his eyes that makes Kairi believe him.

"But since you're here, how about I take you on that dinner I promised?" Roxas asks, hopeful.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly—"Kairi starts.

"Sora won't see us," Roxas swears. "I know this great place in town. He doesn't know about it."

What was she to say to the man that was marrying her cousin? He would be family soon enough. Surely one dinner couldn't hurt, and getting to know her closest cousin's fiancé wasn't exactly life threatening.

Kind of.

"Well, if you insist…" Kairi says as she rubs her elbow with uncertainty.

Roxas clasps his hands together in excitement. "Great. I'll have a car pick you up at seven."

* * *

><p>Backstage, Kairi nervously glances at her watch for the umpteenth time. It is five minutes to seven, and Roxas agreed to have a car ready for her in the front entrance by then. If she wanted to make it out alive, she had to leave now, so without hesitation, Kairi grabs her purse packs her things with haste.<p>

"And where do you think you're going?" Sora asks as he and Riku join her backstage.

Kairi looks beyond the curtains with an anxious expression. They'd finished their presentation early.

"I, um…" Kairi mumbles as she smoothes out her pale pink dress.

"Oh, I know what's going on here," Sora claims with crossed arms. Kairi gulps whilst scratching her cheek guiltily.

"You do?" she squeaks.

"You're going on a date," Sora concludes with confidence, because it is the only reasonable explanation. Kairi feels the need to protest but decides against it. He had already created a cover for her. "You don't have to beat around the bush, Kairi. I understand, and I give you full permission to go out and enjoy yourself tonight. Well done," Sora applauds.

"I, um, thank you," Kairi stammers, and after a final bow, she scurries out the exit doors while Riku watches her retreating figure with skittish eyes.

* * *

><p>Kairi can't argue with Roxas' taste when it comes to fine dining.<p>

He managed to choose a restaurant in the heart of the metropolis, and it contained a spectacular view of the beaches from afar. It rested on the penthouse of a curvaceous building, and apart from its outer ring of windows, aquariums housing various types of exotic fish surrounded the eatery on all sides.

"Good evening, Kairi," Roxas greets as he pulls a chair out for her like a true gentlemen. At their table, a familiar redheaded male is already seated and munching on some appetizers. "I hope you don't mind that Axel will be dining with us tonight. We're kind of a package deal."

"It's no problem at all," Kairi assures as she takes her seat and nods in acknowledgment. "Axel's practically like an older brother to me."

"Brotherzoned already?" the older man asks jokingly. "Well, there go my hopes of sleeping with you."

"Please, you couldn't get with this even if you tried," Kairi jokes in return. The three of them laugh as Roxas takes his seat in the middle.

"Well I can certainly see how you get along with my brother," Roxas says as he straightens his tie. Kairi merely nods since she has no idea how to address the unresolved tension between them.

"So, Kairi, I hear you studied in Radiant Garden University for post-secondary education," Axel says, going in for the save.

Kairi excuses herself whilst drinking her water before responding. "Yes, I did. Journalism."

"Yes, Néné always told me you had a gift with words," Roxas compliments. As Kairi blushes bashfully, Axel makes chomping motions with his chopsticks in her direction.

"My younger brother Lea is actually studying there right now," he informs. "He's majoring in Engineering and chose Marketing as his minor. Think he'll survive?"

"Well if he's anything like you, I think he might get a little carried away with all the parties and whatnot," Kairi teases.

As she and Roxas chuckle in agreement, Axel sinks low in his seat and mumbles, "That's exactly what Ven said…"

The remainder of dinner passes with more enjoyable small talk, and by the end of the hour, Kairi confidently comes to the conclusion that Roxas will be a good addition to the family. He's humble, he appreciates the meaning of friendship, and above all else, he puts family first. She realizes the latter when Axel leaves the table to flirt with one of the waitresses.

"So, Kairi, how are your living conditions as of late?" Roxas asks when his best friend is out of earshot.

"You want to know how Sora's doing," Kairi assumes almost immediately, and she finds out that she's correct when Roxas begins to rub the back of his head. "There's no shame in admitting it, Roxas. I don't mind talking about him—granted that nothing leaves this conversation, of course."

"You have my word," Roxas swears.

"He's getting better," Kairi admits as she mindlessly pokes at her unfinished cake. "According to a friend of mine, he's starting to open up to me, which I guess is true to a certain extent, but I suspect it just has something to do with all the food I cook him (Roxas chuckles at this). His relationship with Riku remains the same, and lately he's had fewer associations with women from work, so I suppose that's a step in a better direction."

"That's good," Roxas says whilst twiddling his thumbs. "That's really good."

"Then why so anxious?" Kairi asks with her head cocked to the side.

"In all the time you've spent with him, he hasn't mentioned me at all?" the blonde-haired boy asks with hopeful eyes. Much to his dismay, Kairi shakes her head. "So I suppose he's not ready to come into terms with the big news, is he?"

"Not at all, I'm afraid," Kairi shamelessly admits.

Roxas sighs as he runs a hand through his unruly spikes. "That's a shame. I was hoping to have his approval before Nams and I went through with the wedding, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. We even mailed out invitations yesterday…"

"I'm sorry, Roxas," Kairi says.

"There's no need to apologize, Kairi. You've done nothing wrong. If anything, you're the one who can make things right," Roxas says. "And I really hate to ask this of you because it's a little insensitive and we hardly know each other, but for Naminé, do you think you could possibly… ease him into the idea?"

"U-um, I really wouldn't know how," Kairi stammers. "I think you're asking the wrong person here. Maybe you could try Riku?"

"I think Sora needs someone who has a fresher perspective on things," Roxas suggests. "Please just… try, Kairi. Anything helps," he adds desperately, and Kairi feels her heart ache.

In the span of four months, she managed to harness the power that controlled the marriage of two people. She begins to wonder how that is even possible, and why she is the chosen heroine of said marriage; however, she does have a soft spot for helping people when given the opportunity, so her decision doesn't take much thought.

"I'll… try," she answers, "but I don't make any promises."

A look of relief immediately washes over Roxas' face when he hears these words. "Thank you, Kairi. I'm grateful."

"Don't thank me yet," Kairi says with a chuckle. "I haven't done anything."

_Oh, but it seems like you already have,_ Roxas thinks as he leans back in his seat.

"So, did you get the digits?" Kairi asks when Axel plops back down in his seat with a dejected expression.

He scoffs as he holds up the bill. "The only digits I got were the ones associated with our meal."

* * *

><p>When the elevator doors open on Kairi's floor later that evening, she is surprised to find someone leaning against the wall waiting for her.<p>

"You went to see Roxas," Riku says with arms crossed accusingly. Kairi's heart skips a beat as she takes slow, unsure strides out of the elevator. She looks left and right to check for any signs of her boss, but he isn't around. No one is.

"I suppose it'll do no good to ask that you keep it a secret," Kairi says, guilty under his penetrating gaze. "You are his best friend, after all."

"I am," Riku admits as he pushes himself off the wall. "And as his best friend, I only want what's best for him. Telling him that his assistant is involved with his mortal enemy isn't going to bode well."

"So what are you trying to say?" Kairi asks, her voice quivering with hope and anticipation. The air around them grows thin as she waits for his response.

"I'm not going to tell him," Riku promises as Kairi sighs in relief. "Besides, I understand, Kairi. You're Naminé's cousin and Roxas is her fiancé. Your meeting was inevitable."

Kairi gasps. "You know about the wedding?" Riku nods guiltily. "And you haven't told him?"

"I've known for a while now. Roxas is a good friend of mine, but Sora is my bro. I wouldn't know where to start," he admits. "On one hand I'd love to slap some shit into him, but I really don't think I can bring myself to do it."

Kairi sighs. "Neither can I."

"He has to find out someday," Riku says after a few moments of silence. "Prolonging it will only make it worse."

"Mm," Kairi hums in agreement. "But who's going to do it?"

"Rock paper scissors?" Riku suggests lightheartedly, and Kairi laughs a sad laugh.

"I guess we'll figure something out eventually," says the redhead.

"I suppose so," Riku agrees, and fascination strikes him again. Kairi knew Sora the least out of everyone, and yet she was just as concerned about him on a personal level. She valued and respected everyone she knew—something that he always found admirable.

He suddenly coughs into his fist when he realizes where his thoughts are leading him.

"Well, we should head off to bed," he suggests. "We have another day ahead of us."

Kairi nods in agreement, and just as they begin heading their separate ways, Kairi calls Riku one more time.

"Yes?" he asks as he pulls on his collar.

"Thank you. For understanding," she clarifies. "You're a good friend."

He smiles warmly. "You're welcome. And don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

* * *

><p>The following day at lunch, Kairi becomes acquainted with Sora's oldest brother Ventus.<p>

"Hello Kairi. It's so good to finally meet you. I'm Ventus," the Roxas look-alike says as he outstretches his hand. Kairi accepts it with a mild look of confusion and Ven notices with a laugh. "I know. It takes a while to get used to."

Kairi stiffens as she frantically scans the restaurant for her boss. What Ven had just said insinuated that she had met Roxas before, which technically, she had (numerous times, she may add), but luckily her boss is nowhere in sight to hear or think that through.

At their reserved table, another familiar young man sits waiting for the arrival of Sora and Riku.

"Hi," Vanitas says as he pulls off his signature boyish smirk. Kairi tries not to stare as she takes the seat across from him. "So, Kairi, right? I've just ordered tea. I don't need to order contraceptive for you, do I?"

Kairi's cheeks noticeably turn as red as her hair the instant the hidden meaning behind his words sink in.

"N-no, that won't be necessary," she mumbles, and Sora thinks that this is a good time to enter with Riku in tow.

"Sorry we're a bit late," Riku says as he takes the seat beside Kairi. He secretly winks at her when he thinks no one is watching. "Sora woke up late and put us behind schedule."

"You're just hopeless without your assistant, aren't you baby brother?" Vanitas asks with a slight grin. Sora grimaces and takes the free seat on the other side of Kairi.

"So I see Vanitas didn't over exaggerate your assistant's beauty," Ventus teases.

"So I think we should start with some appetizers," Sora says, clearly ignoring his brother's attempts to piss him off.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask, but what is this place?" Kairi asks as she notices the circular grill in the middle of their table.

"It's a barbeque grill restaurant," Sora answers. "Bodhum's known for a lot of them since they live right by the coast. They marinate all the meat and give it to you raw so that you can cook it yourself."

"That's so interesting," Kairi says, and it reminds her of why she finds travelling so appealing. "It's so fascinating to see the different customs, traditions, architecture, technology, fashion, and cuisine of other worlds."

Sora and Riku smile at the girl in between them simultaneously. She shared the same attitude towards traveling as they did.

"Here, let me show you," Sora offers, and as he reaches over to throw a piece of zucchini onto the grill, Kairi sighs in delight not because of the aroma coming from the grill, but because of the familiar smell of Sora's cologne. Ven and Van share a knowing look when they realize this.

"Did you know that the citizens of Bodhum have this superstition that if a woman can pour tea without spilling a single drop…" Ventus starts as their server sets down a pot of tea.

"It means she's wifey material," Vanitas finishes.

"Really?" Kairi giggles as she breaks her wooden chopsticks in half.

"Mhm," Ventus nods. "Why don't you give it a try, Kairi?"

"Sure," she says with a shrug, and after grabbing the pot of tea, she manages to pour it into all five cups perfectly. Sora watches as a single drop lingers on the rim of his cup, but when it falls back in, he hears his brothers' snicker.

"Well done, Kairi," Vanitas compliments as he, Ven, and Riku applaud her.

"You know what that means," Ventus says as he wiggles his eyebrows in Sora's direction. The youngest of the Fair children merely rolls his eyes with tinted cheeks and eats the rest of his meal in silence.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Kairi finds herself stretching and enjoying the summer breeze of Bodhum that dances all around her. Seeing as no one had to work until later that evening, all the employees of Caelum Industries that attended agreed to meet at the beach behind their resort for some fun and relaxation, and that meant <em>everyone<em> was going to be there.

By everyone, that meant Sora and Roxas included.

Kairi emerges from the lobby sporting her orange maxi dress and a nervous expression on her face. She had never seen the younger set of Fair twins at the same place at the same time. If Sora saw his brother standing there, would a fight break out?

"He just pretends he's not there," a familiar voice says behind her. Kairi turns around to come face to face with Riku, who is dressed in nothing but pale purple swimming trunks and a black tank that exposes the well-defined muscles on his arms. Geez, and she thought Sora was fit…

"O-oh?" she stammers when she snaps out of her trance. This was getting downright crazy. Caelum Industries must have had a knack for hiring attractive people or something.

"Mhm. Just don't act out of the ordinary or he'll suspect that something's up," Riku advises as they walk down the backyard of their resort. It is the epitome of paradise complete with tiki themed bars, a lazy river, oddly shaped pools and Jacuzzis, and a beach with an abundance of palm trees at the bottom to boot.

The two meet up with Sora at the volleyball court on the beach, and when Kairi's toes come in contact with the hot sands, she sighs delightedly and digs in deeper. If there was one thing she liked about home, it was the beach.

"Hey," Sora greets as he tosses Riku a bottle of cold water. Kairi then tosses her boss a bottle of sunscreen from her beach bag.

"I figured you'd forget," she reasons.

Sora rubs the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "I did. Thanks." He then hands her a bottle of cold paopu juice in thanks. Kairi accepts it with a look of surprise. She had only told Sora about her habit of drinking paopu juice during hot temperatures once, and that was the day of the black out.

"You remembered," is all she says.

"Huh?" Sora asks, but he then realizes that she's right. He did manage to remember, but it wasn't a bother at all. It was almost automatic. "Oh. I guess you're right."

"Hey, Sora!" Ven hollers from the volleyball court. On the other side of him and Van, Roxas and Axel are gasping like dying koi on the ground. "You and Riku want to face us?"

"Ven and Van always win the company's volleyball tournaments," Sora informs. "They've never lost."

"No one ever came close?" Kairi asks, wide-eyed. She had been watching them from her peripheral vision and she could already see some faults in their technique and placement.

"Sora and I did once," Riku confesses, "but they managed to tire us out at the end."

"So how about it, bro?" Ven asks as he wipes the sheen of sweat from his forehead.

"Riku?" Sora asks as he looks up at his best friend.

He raises his hands in surrender with a weak laugh. "No thanks. I might just stick around for a bit longer then head up to prepare for tonight's presentation. I'd like to conserve my energy for that."

"How about your assistant, then?" Vanitas offers with a grin.

"Oh no, I couldn't-"Kairi insists.

"You play, don't you?" Sora asks for confirmation. "I remember you telling Selphie that you played a bit."

Riku smirks as he crosses his arms. His best friend seemed to be remembering quite a few things about his assistant today.

"Well I played a bit in high school and university, but that's it," Kairi says modestly. "I couldn't possibly beat your brothers."

"Who said anything about beating them? It's just a bit of fun," Sora says as he outstretches a hand towards her. "Come on. Volleyball is one of Bodhum's main sports. You'd be gaining a cultural experience."

"Um," Kairi mumbles.

"Oh, just do it already," Larxene says as she impatiently shoves the redhead into Sora's chest. She immediately pushes herself off and clears her throat.

"Okay," she whispers as she tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"All right, game on!" Sora exclaims as he strips himself of his shirt and runs toward the court. He passes Roxas and Axel on his way there, and just as Riku had said, Sora completely ignored his brother and high-fived the pyromaniac instead.

As Kairi removes her dress, she thinks that it would actually be better if Sora frowned at his brother. At least he'd still have a reaction of some sort. Being ignorant meant he was numb and felt absolutely nothing for his own kin, which was a shame because that wasn't how Roxas felt at all.

The instant Kairi's dress hits the ground, Sora begins to feel his cheeks burn. Out of all the selections Selphie had given her, Kairi had chosen the swimsuit that did wonders to her tiny little body. It wasn't revealing, per se, but it did its job. The top was a pale pink bow that extended past her breasts and tied into a tight knot in the back, and on the bottom, a pair of high waisted black swimming shorts hugged Kairi's hips and showed off a little more leg than Sora was used to.

Oh, and let's not forget _dat ass_.

"Yeah Kairi, take it off!" Axel teases as he waves around his towel.

Sora feels his own body tense as Kairi walks over to stand next to him. Her petite body may not be as developed, curved, or toned as the models he brings home, but she's got a little something something and a hint of muscle from years of swimming and volleyball. It's kind of cute, actually, and there's a mysterious innocence to her look that entices him to do things that aren't exactly praised in the workplace.

A volleyball to the head suddenly distracts him from his thoughts.

"Do we have a game here or not?" Vanitas taunts, and judging by the smirk on his face, he knew exactly what his baby brother was thinking about. "How about we make this more interesting? Winner gets to take your little lady friend out for ice cream."

The pain throbbing in Sora's forehead causes him to rethink his earlier statement. For their endless and unnecessary teasing, his older brothers had to go down.

"Give us a second," Sora requests. He motions for Kairi to come closer. "Ventus is quick, but he can't block spikes. Van hesitates before he dives."

"So no matter who covers the front, spike to the back corner," Kairi says as she taps her chin in thought.

"Exactly," Sora says as he puts on his sunglasses. "All right, let's do this!"

"Good luck," Roxas mouths to Kairi from the sidelines.

Half an hour later, Sora realizes that Kairi's realm is certainly not limited to the domestic sphere. Not only is she good, but they're also _winning_, and it's not by brute strength and speed alone. It's teamwork and technique, and what Kairi lacks in power, she makes up for with outstanding accuracy that Sora has never seen before. When Ven and Van are one hundred percent convinced that the ball will land out of bounds, it ends up being inside by a few inches, and this is how Sora and Kairi eventually win the match.

The sound of applause rings heavily in their ears as Vanitas dives and misses the final point by a few inches. A crowd of Caelum Industries' employees and Bodhum citizens had gathered around to witness the impressive display of technique, and they are certainly pleased with the show they are given.

"That was a good match," Ventus admits as he and Van shake the hands of Sora and Kairi below the net. "You two make a good team."

"Thank you," Kairi says graciously.

"You never told me you could play like _that_," Sora tells his assistant with a wide, excited smile. "That was great! I've never seen someone hit with such precision before!"

"I may have forgotten to mention that I was the MVP in both stages of education," Kairi admits sheepishly.

From afar, Roxas' heart warms at the sight before him. Sora may have just used fun as an excuse to play earlier, but he doesn't fail to notice the look of joy and admiration on his brother's face throughout the match. It had been awhile since he had seen that look on Sora's face.

"Well now that you've won, little brother, you know what that means," Vanitas reminds with a subtle wink.

Kairi turns to Sora and waves her hands in front of her face. "Oh, no, Sora, you don't have to do that."

"No, I want to," Sora insists, and the instant he says it, he realizes that this is the first time he's offered to take a girl out without the intention of sleeping with her in a long time. "Ice cream sounds pretty good right now, and I know this really good place near the financial district. Let's go."

Kairi beams. "Sure."

And as Roxas watches their retreating figures, he knows that the promise Kairi made last night won't be an empty one.

* * *

><p>"Well, I'm beat. I'm heading off to bed," Sora announces with a yawn as he opens the door to their apartment. "Good night, Kairi."<p>

Kairi giggles as she checks the time. It's four o'clock in the afternoon. It seems that Sora had a mild case of jet lag. "Night, Sora."

As her housemate drags himself and his luggage up the staircase, Kairi's eyes drift onto the coffee table in the living room where Xion had presumably placed their mail earlier. Apart from the usual, Kairi comes across an extravagant gold flyer for a ball at work and a fancy silver envelope. Kairi's hands shake as she holds it to her chest. She looks up to ensure that Sora is in his room before she opens it because she has a strong feeling that she knows what's inside. Sure enough, she pulls out a small turquoise card, and in cursive silver writing, it reads:

Mr. & Mrs. Noctis Lucis Caelum  
>humbly request the honour of your presence<br>at the marriage of their daughter  
>Naminé Fleuret Caelum<br>to  
>Mr. Roxas Gainsborough Fair<br>on Saturday, …

Kairi stops reading and recalls her conversation with Riku by the elevators in Bodhum. With a heavy sigh, she tucks the envelope into the pocket of her pants and brings all her vacation belongings with her to her room.

_There will come a day when Sora finds out about the wedding,_ she thinks, and on that day, the sky will release all its tears and the clouds will shroud the world in darkness. The once colourful city of New Twilight will become monochromatic and the sun will lose all its warmth.

_That day will come._

Kairi inhales sharply as she drops the envelope into the drawer of her nightstand.

_It's just not today, or anytime soon for that matter._

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>I will be wholeheartedly honest and say that I am not completely fond of this chapter; however, it did have to be done for plot purposes, so instead of sitting in front of my laptop for days, I decided that I might as well get it over with so that we could get to the good part!<strong>

**This chapter was meant for the following: informational purposes, foreshadowing, and background information to name some. It is to be used as a reference for later events. The only parts that really stuck out to me were the dinner with Roxas and the volleyball match. Kairi just really gets along with Sora's family *wink wink*, and their relationship just continues to bloom. **

**Furthermore, that Riku and Kairi scene by the elevators actually wasn't supposed to exist, but I guess it does now! I was honestly just spitballing there, but I decided to keep it to establish our love triangle, and I hardly consider that a spoiler because come on. We all knew Riku had a crush on Kairi the instant he met her. **

**Special thanks to **Shadowred, TheNiceCritic, Bilbo B. Swaggins (love your name ;D), Crush-Chan17, KittyKat1217, thelonesomeartist, It's My Lucky Charm, SiChri, Wildgirl404, Guest, SoraxKairi7, **and** Amulet Misty** for reviewing the last chapter! Sorry if I misspelled or missed any pen names, and thank you to those who have favourited and/or put this story on alert! **

**I hope you enjoyed the eighth installment of D&L! I'm sorry for any grammar errors I might have missed, please kindly leave a review to tell me about your feels (lol), and I'll get started on the ninth chapter asap!**


	9. Chapter 9

**nine**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of nine._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up seven spaces._

.

.

.

Kairi rubs her elbows nervously as she impatiently taps her feet on the wooden surface.

"Kairi?" Naminé calls from the other side of the change room. Her maid of honour is on her feet within seconds.

"Yes?" she squeaks. Ever since her encounter with Roxas in Bodhum a few weeks ago, Kairi had been nothing but jumpy and more fidgety than usual. The guilt of keeping such a large secret from her boss/housemate was slowly eating her alive.

"I'm coming out," Naminé announces. "Ready?"

Kairi braces herself with a sigh before closing her eyes. When she hears her cousin shuffle out of the change room, she re-opens them and gasps. Her hands fly to her mouth and she finds herself growing teary-eyed at the sight of her cousin in her potential wedding dress. It is a silky strapless number that flows all the way to the floor and bellows outward like an upside down teacup starting at her waist. The bodice is intricately sewn with floral patterns, and a large white ribbon ties itself around her waist like a belt and ends at her back.

Overall, Kairi thinks that her cousin looks like a visionary for bride-to-be's everywhere.

"Do you like it?" Naminé asks as she steps onto the circular podium in the middle of the room. She turns to her side and checks herself out in the three-panel mirror.

Kairi chokes and begins to fan the tears forming in her eyes. "Sorry, just… give me a moment."

"Aww, Kairi," Naminé says as she pulls her closest relative into a hug. She feels her eyes welling up with tears as well upon recognizing this as her 'bridal moment'.

"It's just," Kairi wheezes, "it was just yesterday that we were playing in the kiddie pool and," another wheeze, "now we're both living on our own in the big city and," more wheezing, "now you're getting married!"

"It's okay, Kairi," Naminé assures in her most soothing voice possible. "Nothing's going to change between us! We're still best cousins."

"Gah, I know," the redhead says as she pulls away from the embrace. "Sorry. I don't want to get your dress all wet. It's, you're, everything's just… so beautiful." Kairi wipes a tear from her eye and laughs at her behaviour. "Sorry. I'm being annoying right now. I just wasn't prepared."

Naminé chuckles as she smoothes out her dress. "It's okay. So does this dress have your stamp of approval?"

Kairi gives her two thumbs up with eyes and lips shut tight.

Minutes later, when her cousin is back in the change room, the entire room grows eerily quiet save for the rustling of Naminé's clothes. Kairi does not welcome this silence. Silence meant thinking, silence meant reflecting, and silence meant remembering. Soon enough, Kairi finds herself back on the circular couch, tapping her feet against the wood impatiently as the guilt eats her up alive.

* * *

><p>Sora groans as he falls back on his bed. With a dull expression, he narrows his eyes at the ceiling, bored as ever. Of all the days in the year, Mansex had to leave and schedule a day off when no one was available.<p>

Sora turns to look at his cellphone on the nightstand. He couldn't call Riku. He played tennis with his brothers on his days off. Xion was in her "don't disturb me I'm writing" mode, Olette and Hayner were working, and although she just sent him a text five minutes ago, Selphie was also busy at work, Ven and Van bonded with Terra and Aqua's daughter on Mondays, and Axel was probably snorting coke off of Larxene's boobs.

Perhaps Pence was free? Sora grabs his phone and dials the photographer's number, only to be directed to voicemail.

Four times.

Sora sighs in exasperation as he chucks his phone back onto the nightstand. There went his final opportunity to a) chill with a friend, b) fuck (because Pence had _all_ the connections), and c) be cured from the inescapable disease known as boredom . The young man pulls at his face in attempts to regain some feeling, but it is futile. He has to come into terms with the facts.

He is lonely.

He groans when he comes to this realization. He has no paperwork to do or business calls to make. He has grown tired of playing on his tablet, and he isn't in the mood to re-watch any movies or play any games. His eyes then linger on the square-shaped entrance to the attic in the corner of his ceiling. His piano was probably collecting dust up there, and he could always…

He vigorously shakes his head. No. No way.

As he turns to bury his face in his pillow, Sora begins to wonder about the following: where the _bloody hell_ was Kairi? She couldn't just go off without his permission. Her job was to help him, to obey his every order. She couldn't just _abandon_ him in his time of need.

Sora sits up and runs a hand through his hair. Kairi could do whatever she wanted. She wasn't just his assistant. She was his housemate, and furthermore, a human being with free will. She could have a social life if she chose. She didn't have be at his every beck and call. She could be independent if she so wished.

"But why did it have to be today?" Sora whines.

_Great,_ he thinks. Now he was talking to himself. He needed to find something to do, and fast.

When Sora stumbles upon the kitchen to grab a snack, he finds a few unwashed dishes by the sink. Kairi normally washed them while he finished work in his office, but maybe it couldn't hurt to share the load once in awhile? He then grabs a dish and a sponge.

He had resorted to chores. This was low, even for him.

He thinks that this will kill a significant amount of time, but the dishes are spotless within five minutes. Sora glances at his watch. It's only three in the afternoon. He groans and helplessly slides down the fridge until his butt meets the floor. As he throws his head back, he taps his fingers against the hardwood floor. Now that he thought about it, the floors were looking a little dirty…

Sora has the vacuum out within seconds.

For forty-five minutes, he hunts down every speck of dust on the floor and even cleans out every nook and cranny. By the time he finishes, Kairi still isn't home. He ponders over the possibilities of her whereabouts as he dusts the living room.

Maybe she went to the gym? Getting in shape was always good.

Or maybe she was buying groceries? Sora shakes his head and crosses out that possibility. That was something they did together so that he could help her carry all the bags.

Maybe she was hanging out with a friend he didn't know about, or… or maybe she was on another date. Over the course of three weeks, she had gone out with a few random employees, but she claimed that none of them were worth mentioning. He couldn't blame the guys for trying, though. As far as looks went, Kairi was looking pretty good lately. Plus, as an added bonus, she was nice, she was funny, she was organized, she was good at volleyball, she could cook, she was adventurous, and from a certain angle, if you squinted real hard, her smile could be considered kind of cute.

Sora is so immersed in his thoughts that he doesn't even notice the vase he knocks over on top of the fireplace. His fast reflexes allow him to catch it, but the sound of his cell phone ringing catches him off guard once again. He fumbles with the vase for a bit until he successfully puts it back in its place and rushes over to the coffee table to answer his phone.

"Hello?" he answers breathlessly.

"Gross. Please don't tell me you're in the middle of doing it."

She can already see him smiling on the other line.

"Naminé," he greets, his voice softening. "Hey. How—where—um, hi."

"Hey," she chuckles. "I was just calling to check up on you, as usual. How are you?"

"I'm good," he answers as he begins to pace. He is a little disappointed to hear that this conversation will once again mean nothing more than their previous ones, but he's glad just to hear her voice once in a while. "And you?"

"Good as well," she answers, and her voice is still so angelically sweet that it's painful. "I heard you went to Bodhum a few weeks ago. How was that?"

"Interesting," Sora replies as he recalls the volleyball match. He explains the story to Naminé, and her reaction is nearly the same as his, but not for the same reasons.

"Really? You and Kairi must make a great team if you managed to beat Ven and Van."

"Yeah. We're, uh, we're pretty good," Sora says just as he hears the sound of keys jerking into the lock of the door. He half expects it to be Xion, wild and ready to jump on his back again, but it's Kairi looking as good as she normally does in a fashionable navy blue sundress with a red belt wrapped around her waist to add a flirty edge.

"Naminé," Sora mouths when Kairi gives him a curious look.

She nods in understanding but stiffens in fear that her cousin had given away her whereabouts earlier. Somehow, she has a strange feeling that telling Sora that she was out wedding dress shopping with his ex-girlfriend that he still harboured feelings for wasn't going to end well. Her only consoling thought was that Naminé knew about Roxas' "ease it in" request, so she probably didn't say anything about earlier at all—that, and it was common sense at this point.

"Was that Kairi?" Naminé asks on the other line.

"Yeah," Sora says with a hint of regret to his tone, but that may just be Kairi overanalyzing things.

"Well I should let you two be," Naminé decides. "Be good, okay?"

"All right," Sora replies, then it a hushed tone he adds, "I miss you."

Although she isn't supposed to hear, Kairi's ears perk upward at this new sound. She has never heard Sora—the same Sora that demonstrates weapons without the slightest tremor in his voice—sound so vulnerable before.

"Bye, Sora," says Naminé, and the words sting as much as they do every single time. Sora hangs up with a sigh and quickly turns his attention back to Kairi.

"Hey," he greets awkwardly as he tucks his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants. "Where were you?"

Kairi blinks twice before slowly tiptoeing forward.

"I went to get coffee with a friend," she lies with the hopes of not being too transparent. "I, wha—Sora, were you cleaning?" she asks when she sees the duster in his hand.

Her housemate clears his throat and hides the cleaning tool behind his back. "Kind of."

Kairi wordlessly pulls out her phone and begins to take pictures.

"What are you doing?" Sora squeaks, feeling exposed.

"What does it look like I'm doing? We need to cherish this moment," Kairi answers as she hits the record button. "We are here live with the rare species of Sora Gainsborough Fair," Kairi begins to say in a fake Pulsian accent. "As you can see, this one is clearly suffering from behavioural issues. This Sora appears to be _cleaning _and maintaining its own habitat! This is truly a historical moment in time!"

"Ha ha," Sora laughs, voice laced with sarcasm. "Now if you're done with your little role play, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the salon to get your nails done or whatever."

Kairi's eyes widen in surprise. Did she hear that right?

"Pardon?" she asks—begs, more like.

"Selphie sent me a text earlier reminding me that I had to take you to the salon once every month to get your nails done," Sora answers. "Besides, you've been acting a little stressed lately. Maybe this will do you some good."

Was she really making her guilt that obvious?

"Sure," she answers, deciding that some pampering could get her mind off things. "But we'll have to do that _after_ we visit your mom."

Sora slaps his forehead. Last Monday of the month. Right.

"Okay. We'll head out after I get dressed."

* * *

><p>The Kairi that enters the flower shop with her son is not the same Kairi Aerith remembers.<p>

This Kairi looks and moves differently. Her eyes are bright with adventure and her hair is shinier, straighter, better. Gone are her loose articles of clothing; in its place are the casual and comfortable trends of the upper district, and a glossy pink smile graces her lips.

"Kairi, you look lovely," Aerith says when her former employee enters the shop.

Kairi does a little curtsy in appreciation. "Thank you Mrs. Fair. You're looking as wonderful as ever."

"And what about me? Don't I look pretty too?" Sora asks playfully.

Aerith looks up at her son and is surprised to see that he has gone through a few changes of his own. His cheeks look fuller and healthier, and his smile is slightly wider.

"Yes, Sora. You're beautiful too," Aerith says as she pulls her baby boy down for a kiss on the cheek, thus embarrassing him in front of his housemate.

"Mom!" he whines, pulling away.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," his mother says. "Kairi's practically family now! Your brothers keep telling me about how much they like her."

Kairi blushes and widens her eyes in fear simultaneously. Hopefully Sora would assume that Aerith meant _Ven and Van_ when she said _brothers_.

"So, Mrs. Fair," Kairi says, going in for the save. "How's the business doing lately?"

"Oh you know, a few orders here, a few orders there," the shopkeeper answers. "The flower business isn't exactly booming in the fall. It'll pick up in the springtime, but that's still a few months away." She then shakes her head for neglecting the real matter at hand. "Never mind me. How are you, dear? How's your new job? I hope my baby is treating you well."

"Oh no, he's horrible," Kairi says in a sarcastically dreadful manner. "All Sora does is boss me around and he orders me to get him coffee and make him a sandwich every two hours."

"What?" Sora exclaims when his mother sends him a disapproving look. "I do not!" The corners of his lips then turn upward into a malevolent smirk. Two could play at that game. "Kairi has a crush on Riku!" he declares with an accusing finger. He does not overlook the amount of times he has caught his assistant staring at the silver-haired Adonis.

"What? I do not!" Kairi claims with rosy cheeks. Aerith crosses her arms and chuckles at the display of immaturity before her. Most would consider it a bad thing for people their age to be acting in such a way, but at least her youngest was showing signs of his old self again.

Then, with a long gasp, Kairi puts an end to their bickering.

"Mrs. Fair," she says as she pulls out her phone. "You won't believe what your son did today."

Sora rolls his eyes. He knows where this is going.

"What did he do this time?" Aerith asks accusingly.

"He _cleaned the house_," Kairi announces dramatically.

His mother gasps disbelievingly. "No."

Kairi nods. "Yes."

"NO," Aerith insists.

"YES!" Kairi answers excitedly as she shows her former boss the evidence on her phone.

"My poor baby!" Aerith exclaims as she cups her son's cheeks in her soft hands. "What compelled you to do such a thing?" She proceeds in feeling up the various parts of his face—his forehead, mostly. "Are you sick?"

"What? No," Sora answers as he swats his mother's hands away. "Okay, I think we've had enough bonding time. Come on Kairi. We don't want to be late for your appointment at the salon."

Aerith's eyes brighten when she releases her son, clearly impressed and satisfied with his new attitude towards Kairi. She highly approves of this change in their relationship.

"Sora, don't be rude," the redhead scolds as she slaps Sora's arm. She'd go for his head, but she's far too short to reach it. "Apologize to your mother. We'll stay as long as she likes."

Her boss sighs before pouting at his mother. "Sorry mommy."

"It's completely okay," Aerith assures hastily. "I wouldn't want to keep you two from Kairi's appointment. Go on ahead. I still have some orders to take care of." She then begins to push both young adults out of the door. "Go on!"

"Are you trying to get rid of us?" Sora asks with raised eyebrows.

Aerith chuckles and begins fishing her apron pockets for munny. "Of course not, dear. I just don't want you two to be late. Here, grab something to eat while you're at it," she insists while forcing the bills into Sora's hands.

"But-"Sora starts.

"No buts!" Aerith says with a final kick. "Go have fun!"

When the two finally give into Aerith's odd behaviour, the shopkeeper rushes to the large window by the cashier register and secretly watches her son and his assistant get into the car. Just as Sora opens the door for her (an action that has now become automatic), Kairi laughs at something he says, and he laughs in return. With a delighted sigh, Aerith picks a red rose from the bouquet in front of her and twirls it in her hand.

Sora may not realize it yet, but friendship is not the only thing in the air.

* * *

><p>"That'll be 60 munny," says the pedicurist on the other side of the counter.<p>

Sora wordlessly hands her the cash with raised eyebrows. He didn't mean to sound stingy, but did girls really spend 60 munny just to get their toenails soaked, massaged, and painted? Damn.

"Okay, I know this is going to be really random and off topic," the young woman starts as she calculates Sora's change. "But I think it's really cute that you came with your fiancée to treat her to a pedicure," she finishes whilst handing him his change with a smile.

Sora jumps and accepts the cash with reddening cheeks.

"Fiancée?" Sora chokes. What an assumption! Girlfriend, sister, he could understand, but _fiancée_?

"The necklace around her neck," the pedicurist explains. "It's a betrothal necklace from Radiant Garden, isn't it?"

"Uh…" Sora starts, dumbfounded. He'd been to Radiant Garden before, and although he made sure to experience all—if not most—of its cultural aspects (particularly the women), he certainly wasn't made aware of _that_ custom.

Behind him, Kairi hangs the handle of her purse on her shoulder and skips past them looking both fresh faced and relaxed from a good forty-five minutes of well-deserved pampering. Sora could never admit it, but seeing her in a calmer, better mood automatically made him feel more relaxed himself. Witnessing her on edge in the workplace put him on edge, and when she became fidgety at home, he found himself handling things with more care because of his shaking hands.

He is glad to see that the days of dark eye bags are behind them—even if it is only temporary.

"I'm ready to go," Kairi announces by the doorway. "Come on."

After thanking the pedicurist one last time, she skips towards Sora's car and gets in when he unlocks the scissor doors with a click of a button. Silence fills the interior of the vehicle when they are both seated. Kairi waits for Sora to do something, but for reasons she can't fathom he won't start the car.

"That thing around your neck," he suddenly says as he drums his fingers on the steering wheel. "Is it an engagement necklace?"

A hand flies to the gem on her neck.

"Um, yeah," Kairi responds as she fondles with the piece of jewelry. "But obviously it doesn't mean anything like that—to me, at least. It was my grandmother's, duh."

"Mm," he hums as if he is satisfied with her answer, but he still doesn't start the car. "Are you hungry?" he then asks. The awkward silence makes him fully aware of his empty, unsatisfied stomach. He'd yet to have a decent meal since Kairi's absence.

"Yeah I guess I am," Kairi says when she realizes it. "Do you want me to make something at home? I think we still have a few vegetables left. I think there's enough for a stir fry…"

"No, it's fine," Sora says when he finally pushes the keys into the ignition. "It's our day off. We should relax. We'll go grocery shopping tomorrow after work. For now, I know a place."

* * *

><p>The instant the elevator doors part, the overwhelming and delicious scent of Italian food hits Kairi like a bullet, and in that moment, she decides that she has died a delicious and beautiful death.<p>

The restaurant, which rests on the twenty-fifth floor of a building in the financial district, looks down on the vast city of Twilight and has a traditional, but contemporary European flair to it. For the most part, it is dimly lit with candles and pin lights, and vines crawl up the sides of the beige stone walls and wrap themselves around the pillars set in a circular formation. In the center, a grand piano rests on a podium.

"For two," Sora says to the red-haired hostess who sends him a sly smirk. "Not a word, Shiki," he warns when she makes eye contact with Kairi.

"If you insist," she says as she takes two menus and leads them further into the restaurant.

"What is this place?" Kairi asks as she walks through the restaurant with wonder. She then sniffs the air and sighs lovingly. "And why does it smell so…"

"Good?" Sora finishes with a chuckle. He's glad to see that his choice of venue is highly approved of. "It's a wood oven Italian restaurant, so they cook the food directly over a fire. That's why the smell is so powerful. You may have to wash your hair after, but it's totally worth it."

"Ah," Kairi says as she pushes some hair behind her ear with a knowing look. "So I bet this is where you take all the girls before you lure them home. Get some 'hair washing' action in the shower done."

Sora lets out a laugh as Shiki seats them at a booth by the window.

"You wrongly assume that I need to dine a girl before I fuck her," he says as he grabs one of the menus. "They usually just like to get straight down to business." When Kairi sends him a look of disapproval, he raises his hands in front of his chest. "I'm kidding. This is just my favourite restaurant, that's all. The food's great, I promise."

Kairi grins and goes back to reading her menu with excitement. "I don't doubt it."

When the waitress sets their drinks down and finishes taking their orders, Kairi rests her chin on the palm of her hand and closes her eyes with a smile tugging at her lips.

"This song is lovely," she says.

Sora turns to look at the pianist who is currently working away at Puccini's _O Mio Babbino Caro_ with grace and passion. Muscle memory twitches at his fingertips, but he refuses to get carried away by clasping his hands together.

"So, Kairi," he starts in attempts to change the topic. "Where are you from, exactly?" he asks, because he's genuinely curious about the background of his housemate.

After taking a sip of her soup, Kairi excuses herself as she dabs the edge of her mouth with a napkin.

"Don't tell me you've suddenly fallen in love with me and have decided to know more about me," she says with a dramatic look.

Sora scoffs. "Yes, that's exactly what's happening."

Kairi crosses one leg over the other and smiles. "Well, in that case, I was originally from Radiant Garden."

"Originally?" Sora questions before he tips the edge of his glass to his lips.

"I was born in Radiant Garden," Kairi clarifies. "My relatives spared me the details of how my birth parents passed, and until I was four, my grandmother raised me. After that, a couple from Destiny Islands decided to take me in, and I lived there until I moved back for university."

Sora grins behind the rim of his glass.

"What?" Kairi asks. "Where were _you_ from?"

"Born on Destiny Islands, moved here with my mom, my brothers, and Riku's family when my dad passed," Sora answers swiftly. "I was five, and although my memories are a little hazy, I do remember Destiny Islands being my favourite world. I've been to a lot of beaches since then, but I feel like none can really compare to the memory I have of that place."

"You'll have to go back some time," Kairi suggests as the waitress sets down their respective orders. "I'm sure the beaches haven't changed since your last glance."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," he agrees while digging into his pasta without a moment's hesitation.

"So is this what you've always wanted?" Kairi asks after they enjoy the first few bites of their food.

"Chicken parm? Hell yeah," Sora replies as he twirls the pasta with a fork on the surface of a spoon. "I've been craving this for weeks."

Kairi rolls her eyes. Typical Sora. Always about food. "No, silly. I meant your job. Did you always want to be a weapons specialist for Caelum Industries? Was that your dream job?"

Sora considers the question as he chews.

"Somewhat," he finally decides. Kairi repeats his answer with curiosity. "Ever since Riku and I were kids," Sora starts, "we'd sit under the stars of Destiny Islands wondering why we ended up in that specific world we were in. Don't get us wrong, we loved home, but we always wanted to know if there was anything else out there, you know? So you can totally imagine the look on our faces when we first saw an airplane (Kairi chuckles at this). When we arrived at our destination hours later, we saw it as the first step to our journey. Twilight Town was living proof that there really was something beyond Destiny Islands, so on that day, we swore that we'd travel to every world together. We wanted to see them all, and for the most part, we have."

And in this moment, Kairi can't ignore the childlike dreaminess in Sora's eyes. It's kind of adorable and inspirational at the same time. She hadn't known that two others were gazing at the same sky that night, wondering about the existence of other worlds.

"But I don't feel like I ever left Destiny Islands," Sora admits. "Not really. No matter where you go, you can never truly let go of the place that you once considered home." He then begins to rub his temples in shame. "Wow. That was really deep and dramatic of me. Don't look at me right now."

Kairi laughs and pats his hand reassuringly. "No. I thought it was nice."

Sora, who accepts the gesture instead of pulling away from it, smiles and wordlessly returns to his meal.

Forty-five minutes later, Sora decides that Kairi isn't all that bad. The Sora five months ago would have thought otherwise, but this one… this one appears to be warming up to his redheaded companion. She knows how to carry an entertaining conversation, she's fun to argue with, she secretly surprises him with her proper etiquette, and she has quite the appetite for someone so small—which is actually good, because he prefers women with a little bit of meat on their bones.

Wait, what?

He did _not_ just admit that he'd do his assistant. That was_ wrong_.

Kind of hot, but _wrong_, nonetheless.

He shakes his head and tunes back in when the familiar sound of the happy birthday song captures his attention. Two booths away from them, a young woman about Kairi's age is celebrating her birthday with some girlfriends. A string of staff members clap and sing for her, one places a tomato shaped hat on her head, and the poor girl looks absolutely mortified. She's trapped, surrounded, and there's no room to escape. There is only the tomato hat and the people singing all around her, and all she can do is laugh nervously and accept her fate as everyone in the restaurant turns their attention to her.

Back at their table, Kairi shivers and cringes.

"That is so embarrassing," she says while rubbing her elbow.

"Why?" Sora asks, amused by her attitude towards such a joyous and momentous occasion. "People just want to wish her a happy birthday."

"Well, what are you supposed to do amidst the singing? Just awkwardly stand there with reddening cheeks as everyone turns to look at you?" Kairi points out. "Plus, that tomato hat is ridiculous."

"The hat is kind of hideous," Sora agrees with a laugh.

When her housemate strikes a conversation with the hostess from earlier, Kairi goes back to finishing her meal with casual one word answers when she was spoken to. By the time she finishes her last bite, she catches Sora staring at her as he rests his chin on his palms.

"What are you looking at?" she asks uncomfortably. His gaze is alluring, as usual, but this one holds something sinister to it.

"Oh, nothing," Sora claims in a singsong voice. Five seconds later, the same string of employees from earlier emerge from the kitchen with sparklers and that God-awful tomato hat in hand.

Kairi sends her housemate a fearful look. "You didn't."

Sora pulls out his phone, covers his mouth to stifle his laughter, and hits record as a response.

"It's not even my birthday!" Kairi exclaims with red cheeks, but one of the waiters places the hat on her head anyway. For thirty seconds Kairi feels absolutely humiliated, but watching Sora enjoy the show secretly consoles her. When the employees are dismissed to return to their duties, Kairi chucks the inflatable hat at Sora's chest.

He catches it with a chuckle. "Consider it payback for the cleaning pictures you showed my mother earlier."

"You are the worst," Kairi declares whilst crossing her arms childishly. Just then, one of the waitresses sets down a chocolate milkshake in the middle of their table. The whipped cream exceeds the rim by a substantial amount, and a bright red cherry rests at the top.

"Um," Kairi starts, clearly confused. "I don't think we ordered that."

"It's from the young gentleman at table eight," the waitress informs. She steps out of the way and points at a teenage boy of about sixteen waving at Kairi from afar. "He insisted that it was his treat."

The blond-haired boy sends her a wink, and Kairi's jaw drops in disbelief. She turns to Sora just as the waitress leaves. His lips are pressed into a tight line and he's trying his hardest not to laugh.

"Okay, I didn't plan that one," he swears with his hands raised in surrender.

Kairi shakes her head and stares at the shake for quite some time as if questioning her worthiness for said shake. She'd been nothing but a liar for the past few weeks. She really had been on a couple of dates, but she was really with Naminé about sixty-percent of the time, and Sora didn't have the slightest clue. She didn't deserve this treat for free—not when she felt like a betrayer of some sort.

"You're still being insecure, aren't you?" Sora suddenly asks when he notices Kairi's hesitant expression. "What was the first lesson I taught you?" he asks as he pushes the drink towards her. "Love yourself. Whatever the hell is making you think otherwise, don't think about it. You deserve this, okay?" he assures soothingly, and there is a hint of warmth and promise in his eyes that makes her believe him. "This offer expires in about ten seconds, though. If you don't claim that, I'm drinking it."

With a sigh, Kairi accepts the drink and taps her fingers on the rim with a small smile. "There's a lot, but we can share." An idea suddenly pops into her head when she watches a waiter set down a piece of cake on the table beside them.

"Hey," she says, and she immediately has Sora's attention. "I bet this shake is really rich, so we have to wash it down somehow, right? How do you suppose we do that?"

"Cake!" Sora exclaims childishly. As he reaches for the dessert menu, Kairi slaps his hand away, causing him to whine and sooth his hand by rubbing it.

"No, not here. I know a really good bakery in the lower district. I'm pretty sure it's still open," Kairi says.

Sora's smile turns upside down, expressing his obvious distaste for the lower district. He'd only ever been to his mother's flower shop and had no intentions of venturing further into that grotesque place.

"Come on, Sora," his housemate pleads. "This is your opportunity to… see the lower district in a different light. Give it a chance."

Kairi doesn't give him much of a choice when she asks the waitress to pour the shake into a portable Styrofoam cup. After briefly arguing over who pays the bill, Sora wins, but it's only because Kairi still hasn't let go of the fact that the tomato hat had actually touched her head.

"Thanks for the drink, kid," Sora says as he teasingly takes a sip out of the cup in front of the teen from earlier. Kairi can immediately tell that the action slightly aggravates the younger boy.

"Thank you, though. I'm flattered," Kairi says as she comes to the rescue.

Then suddenly, a sixteen-year-old girl with a very irritated look on her face storms over and grabs the boy by the collar. By the looks of it, they were on a date.

Well, not anymore.

"Garnet, wait, I can explain!" the blond-haired teen pleads.

"Let's go," Sora suggests with a whisper as the teenagers begin to argue.

When Sora and Kairi enter the elevator, they are still and silent. For four floors, a pin drop can be heard, but when they lock eyes, the mirage of silence is broken.

They laugh the whole way down.

* * *

><p>Persuading Sora to get on the subway proves to be a difficult task.<p>

"Sora, come _on_," Kairi groans as she pulls on Sora's arm.

"No," he whines as they draw closer and closer to the steps of the underground station. "I have no interest in going into that hellhole. What's wrong with driving there?"

"Because the bakery is located just outside of Market Street station and it'll be so much quicker if we take the subway," Kairi explains. "Now let's go!"

Sora's feet remain firmly planted on the ground.

"You won't have to go through the trouble of parallel parking," Kairi offers.

The look of determination on his face does not falter.

"I'll make you pancakes every morning for the rest of this week," she continues.

Sora seems to consider this one. "Ooh, tempting… but no."

"I'll give you a massage," Kairi says, desperate.

"Nope," Sora says, popping the "p" for good measure. Kairi blows a strand of stray hair hanging from her bangs.

"Fine, then what the hell do you want?" Kairi asks, but the instant Sora opens his mouth to say something, she shushes him. "No, I am _not_ going down on you."

"I wasn't going to say that," Sora chortles. "I was just about to say that you can't bribe me with anything."

_Fine,_ she thinks whilst cracking her knuckles. If offers didn't work, she'd have to resort to threats.

"If you don't go, I'll show everyone at work the pictures of you cleaning," Kairi challenges.

"Not when I have the pictures of you in that hideous tomato hat," Sora fights back with a grin.

Drat, he was right.

"I'll… cut off your hand," Kairi threatens, but there is uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh, really?" Sora asks, both amused and unconvinced. "Which one?"

"The _right_ one," Kairi immediately answers.

Sora shivers playfully. "Ooh, you are a cruel woman, Kairi, but I happen to know that you're not stupid enough to attack someone who can wield almost every weapon in the military."

Well, he had her there. Now what? She was running out of options, unless…

A victorious smirk makes its way onto her lips.

"If you don't get on, I'll tell everyone what happened on Saturday night," she threatens with her hands confidently placed on her hips to assume an authoritative position.

Sora gulps and feels his determined stance weaken as he recalls the events of that fateful night. A rather large spider had come crawling into his bathroom, and amidst his high-pitched cries for help, Kairi had managed to subdue the little beast.

Needles and paper cuts he could handle.

Larxene on her period, even.

But spiders? No. Not now, not ever. Not with their poisonous bodies and creepy little legs.

"You wouldn't," he declares. Kairi merely raises her phone as a response.

Thirty seconds later, Sora finds himself standing on the platform of Sunset Hill station with a defeated look on his face. When the train arrives, he is hesitant to enter the car full of people, but Kairi forces him inside with a mild push. When it begins to move, he immediately grabs onto the steel pole in the center to maintain his balance.

"See, this isn't so bad," Kairi says as if she's talking to a five-year-old.

Sora groans and takes in his surroundings. He is so used to being around businesspeople in suits and dresses, but the subway is an entirely different story. It is as if there was this diverse world beneath his feet that he wasn't even aware of.

The train suddenly jolts before it comes to a complete stop at the next station. Kairi, who was unable to grab onto something earlier, finds herself falling forward. She nearly falls flat on her face, but Sora ensures that she doesn't. Years of keyblade training have blessed him with fast reflexes, so it is upon instinct that he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her to him.

The smell of Sora's cologne hits Kairi full force, and she finds herself blushing as she places a hand on his chest to push herself off, but it is futile. She isn't accustomed to this new proximity, but she isn't exactly hating it, either. His grip is too tight, but it feels safe, secure, and a little warm, now that she snuggled into it…

Wait, no.

Kairi returns to her senses and examines the people around them. From the child in the school uniform chewing bubble gum to the elder with the cane, everyone turns to admire the display of 'young love' before them. With a slightly embarrassed expression, Kairi clears her throat and distances herself from her boss.

"Th-thanks," she stammers like a lovestruck teenage girl.

Sora looks at anything _but_ his assistant.

"No problem," he returns with rosy cheeks, and the car goes silent save for the sound of the train scraping against the tracks.

After looking downward for quite some time, the train finally comes out of its tunnel and the colours of the floor change from monochromatic grey to a variety of fluorescent colours. When Sora looks out of the window in front of him, he finds his jaw dropping slightly. He had grown so accustomed to the view of the city from afar that he had never seen things for what they really were up close.

In a subway car, everything became clear. Everything became easy to understand. Things were no longer mere blurs of light and colour from a high altitude. He could make out every sign, every advertisement, and every silhouette through the windows of buildings. People were outside laughing, high-fiving, and dancing. They didn't limit their joys to the walls of their homes. There were no secrets here.

In the upper district, things were different. From the average man's suit to the architecture, things were mostly in black or white. Stoic, professional expressions were worn day and night, everyone was driven by diamond-encrusted hands on their wrists, and almost every window was tinted because everyone had something to hide, whether it be business related or personal.

Here, in the lower district, the explosions of colour made up for the lack of innovative architecture and technological advancements. It isn't a slum—it's proof of the passage of time and how everything physical changes overtime. There was no black and white here—only life and all its aspects.

Now he sees why Kairi didn't mind taking the subway on a daily basis before.

"See, it isn't so terrible," Kairi says as she leads him up the stairs of Market Street subway station.

Everything is so much brighter and louder up close—the string of lights hung in a zigzag fashion above them, the bright signs, the voices—everything. Instead of honking and inappropriate language, he hears laughter and music. There is the occasional fight here and there, but most of the people are happy here—the children, especially. There aren't plenty of children in the upper district. Even the performers on the streets are not aggressive, but simply passionate and satisfied just to be given the opportunity to share their talents with the world.

On their way to the bakery, Sora and Kairi even witness a proposal, causing Kairi to squeal with delight. They come across plenty of different things on their short walk, and it is at this time that Sora realizes that his mother had been right.

"_I happen to like this part of town,"_ she had said. _"I get to see people and their everyday walks of life—all Sora ever sees up there are stuck up rich people driven by time."_

Back then, Kairi had known this too, and she wanted to show him. She wanted to share her views and experiences with him to broaden his horizons. She wasn't just there to make photocopies for him; she was there to provide him with a new perspective on things, and he often enjoyed her perspectives.

So, it suddenly hits him when they're crossing the street.

Kairi is no longer the girl that he tried to avoid on purpose. She isn't just his assistant, or his housemate, either. She's not just a ticket to his ex-girlfriend's heart, or some fat chance at redemption in Naminé's eyes. She makes fun seem and feel effortless, and the weight of Naminé forcing him to interact with her is no longer there. He is free to choose for himself, so he chooses.

Kairi is his friend.

"Well?" she asks as she crosses her arms and taps her foot impatiently on the paved surface. Behind her is a brightly painted bakery with promising looking desserts and a sweet aroma. "Are you coming or what?"

After tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Sora happily follows her inside.

"Yeah, I am."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations:<strong> _Nocturne in Ebm—Frédéric Chopin, Sunshine & City Lights—Greyson Chance, I Need You—M83_

**Fun fact:** _O Mio Babbino Caro _is a song from an Italian opera called _Gianni Schicchi_. It's about a girl begging her father to let her marry the man she loves, but if he refuses, she'll jump into the river. It's a song about longing, heartbreak, and marriage. Wink wink nudge nudge.

**Another fun fact: **I designed the city of Twilight much like Attack on Titan/Ba Sing Se from ATLA. It is circular in shape and contains three distinct parts. The outer ring is the lower district, the middle is the Twilight Town you see in-game, and the inner most ring is the upper district, otherwise known as New Twilight.

**Hooray for early updates! I think we all know why I was excited for this one. A chapter dedicated solely to the blooming relationship between Sora and Kairi? Yes please. So, Sora's hidden talent/hobby is revealed, he starts to see women as actual human beings instead of commodities, and he has literally crossed over to the friend zone. Depending on how you look at it, that may be a good/bad thing, lol. Kudos to Kairi for bringing out his playful side again.  
><strong>

**Special thanks to **khfanforever, mOOnlite-duskk, It's My Lucky Charm, AmuletMisty, cutekitty5597, Crush-Chan17, Wildgirl404, SoraxKairi7 **and** KittyKat1217 **for reviewing the last chapter, and thank you to those who put this story on alert and/or favourited it! I apologize if I misspelled or missed any pen names. Also, thank you to **Redeeming Endeavor** for spreading the word on this story! I really appreciate it!  
><strong>

**I hope you enjoyed the ninth installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you liked/think I can improve on, I'm sorry for any grammar errors I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! **

**And if you happen to live in/close to my time zone, May the 4th be with you. **


	10. Chapter 10

**ten**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of ten._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move down four spaces._

.

.

.

Axel notices that there is something different about Sora and Kairi when he enters the elevator the following morning. He can't quite place it, but he knows there's something there.

When the doors part, the two that were once laughing silence themselves, causing the pyromaniac to raise a suspicious eyebrow.

"Good morning, Axel," Sora greets, and that's when Axel sees it. The unmistakable glow that is attained not through sex, but through the joys of friendship. The older man laughs to himself as he moves to stand beside the brunet. It seemed like only yesterday that the younger man was groaning whenever they caught the same elevator. Now, just because of a girl that was a teensy bit over five foot two, his attitude towards everyone had changed.

Well, almost everyone.

"So," Axel starts when the two are done giggling amongst themselves. "Are you two excited for the ball next weekend?"

Kairi pauses and attempts to recall the contents of the gold flyer she had seen in the mail a few weeks ago.

"Every few months, the company decides to throw a huge party to celebrate the success of its flourishing sales in New Twilight," Sora explains nonchalantly.

Axel snickers. "Now, we both know that's not the only reason, Sora."

Sora nods and places an arm around Kairi's shoulders to lower his mouth to her cheek. She blushes madly as he whispers something to her, his breath hot in her ear.

"It's usually an elaborately disguised announcement," he informs secretively, and the instant he pulls away, Kairi's heart drops to her stomach.

An elaborately disguised announcement? How many announcements regarding the company were worth thousands of dollars? The only one that came to Kairi's mind was the engagement of the CEO's daughter, Naminé Caelum.

Kairi gulps.

How would Sora react if he found out about his brother's engagement that way? His heart would shatter into uncountable pieces, he would be humiliated in front of everyone who knew about his predicament, and she and Riku would be to blame for not warning him sooner. Subjecting her boss' irrational behaviour to public scrutiny wouldn't be good for the company or his position, and she'd probably lose her job, her home, and a friendship that she was growing rather fond of—a little too fond of, she may add.

As the elevator doors open on their floor, Kairi shakes her head for thinking such ridiculous thoughts. Sora wasn't that immature.

Right?

* * *

><p>Kairi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, taking in the scent of nature all around her. With eagerness, she then raises her blade and turns to her instructor with an excited smile.<p>

"Okay, I'm ready to kick some virtual ass," she says.

Sora, who is leaning against a nearby tree, pushes himself off with a chuckle. "No, you're not."

"I totally am!" Kairi argues. "What makes you say that?"

Her boss walks towards her with an entertained expression on his face. Because of standard protocol, Kairi was forced into Sora's old training gear before entering the grid, and since he was much bigger than she was, she looked absolutely ridiculous.

"Well, for one, you're holding the keyblade wrong," he says. He then walks behind her and places his left hand on her shoulder and his right hand over hers on the handle. The warmth spreads from Sora's hand to Kairi's entire body, and soon enough his assistant can feel the heat reaching her cheeks.

"Feel that? Your grip has to be firm. The blade isn't just a weapon—it's an extension of your entire being," Sora explains. "Don't let anyone or anything sever this bond between you, understand?"

Kairi nods with shaking legs. "Yeah, I get it. But can you please explain to me why you gave me the girliest keyblade known to man?" she then asks while examining the flowery and pastel-coloured blade.

"This is model NTX-05," Sora says, "otherwise known as _Destiny's Embrace_. It's the lightest keyblade we have in stock."

"What, this hunk of metal?" Kairi asks as she swings it around effortlessly. "This is nothing."

"You say that now, but when you're engaged in battle, you'll be swinging that thing around more times than you can count," Sora warns.

Kairi crosses her arms and eyes the blade in Sora's hand. "Let me try yours."

"What, this?" Sora asks as he shows off his model. "This is the Oathkeeper. It's one of my favourite ones, and it's much too heavy for you."

"Try me," Kairi challenges.

"If you insist," Sora says as they switch blades. Surprisingly enough, Kairi grasps the blade firmly and with ease.

"See, I told you I could handle it," Kairi says with a wink.

Sora then crosses his arms with a testing smirk. "Okay. Swing it."

Kairi does just that, but just as she pulls the weapon above her head, the weight becomes too much for her petite body. As she falls backward, she feels her back hit Sora's chest and his arms scoop around her underarms to catch her as if they were doing a trust exercise.

Instead of facing him like she should, Kairi clears her throat and thanks him as she nonchalantly admires the scenery. "This place is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Uh huh," Sora agrees as he laughs to himself. He knows that her back is turned to him only because she's embarrassed.

"No, really," Kairi says in all seriousness, and as she rambles on about how gorgeous the artificial oasis is before them, Sora realizes that this is the first time in a long time that he's actually starting to appreciate the training grid's reproductions.

What Kairi saw as beauty, he used to see as a battle strategy. The vibrant plant life was a means of poison; the trees' branches could be used to slow his opponent's advances; and the pool where the waterfall's fresh waters accumulated could drown anyone or anything in its vicinity. Now, it was just as Kairi put it.

Beautiful.

"…should have really hot shower sex."

Sora shakes his head and looks at the girl in front of him with widened eyes and _very_ red cheeks when he tunes back in. "Sorry, _what_?"

"Finally!" Kairi exclaims. "I've been trying to get your attention for like the last thirty seconds using weird and ludicrous methods. What I tried to say was that we should get on with this lesson."

"Oh, r-right," Sora stammers. He then clears his throat and stands at least ten feet away from his assistant after they trade weapons once again. "Okay. Your keyblade is actually one of our best in terms of magic, so let's give that a try. We'll start off with a really easy spell."

"Like fire?" Kairi asks excitedly.

Sora twitches and can already feel his entire body burning. "Okay, no. I was thinking along the lines of aero." Kairi's shoulders slump in defeat, but Sora continues, nonetheless. "There aren't any buttons on keyblades to execute certain spells, so you'll have to call upon them yourself. The trick is to _be_ the element you wish to control, so since wind is very light and carefree, try to think of a time where you felt relaxed and liberated. The keyblade will answer."

"For real?" Kairi asks with amazement and wonder.

"I shit you not," Sora answers.

Kairi takes a deep breath and nods eagerly. "Okay."

Thinking of a time where she felt relaxed and carefree wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. Flashes of her and Sora speeding down the highway with the wind running through their hair come to mind, and thoughts of the blackout follow suit. She sees them laughing on the terrace, eating their sea-salt ice cream and talking about things she can hardly remember, but she recalls the conversations being very nice, nonetheless. He had told her that day that he was more than just her boss, and that she didn't have to be formal around him 24/7. At that moment, she could feel her responsibilities and worries disappear temporarily, and without a moment's hesitation, she let herself go.

Kairi feels the keyblade rumble beneath the palm of her hand.

"Don't be scared—just let it go!" Sora advises when he sees the frightened look on Kairi's face.

"O-okay!" his assistant screams. She attempts to maintain her firm grip, but the keyblade appears to have a mind of its own and begins to drag Kairi from side to side. With two hands now grasping the handle, Kairi mindlessly releases the spell without aiming properly, and a powerful current of air makes its way towards Sora with remarkable speed.

Because he underestimates the power behind Kairi's attack, Sora finds himself in the pool of water behind him within seconds, soaking wet from head to toe and treading on over fifteen feet of water. At first, Kairi approaches him with fearful eyes, but when she catches sight of him with his hair covering his eyes, she clutches her stomach and doubles over with laughter. Sora merely spits out a mouthful of water with narrowed eyes.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Kairi says in between laughs, thus showing her insincerity.

"You think that's funny, do you?" Sora asks as his assistant wipes a tear from her eye. Without a second thought, Sora casts a magnega spell on Kairi's keyblade, and before she can let go, he pulls them both into the water to join him despite her shrieks of protest.

"You are the _worst_!" Kairi screams when her head reaches the surface. With a childish huff, she immaturely splashes her housemate's face with cold water.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I ruin your hair?" Sora teases as he splashes her in return. "Did I ruin your makeup?" Another splash. "Your clothes?" Again. "Your _bra_?"

"Stop!" Kairi begs, but she can't help but giggle in between her own defensive splashes.

"And just _what _is going on here?" a familiar voice asks. Calm, reserved footsteps approach the two from the side, and a smile graces both their lips when they recognize their intruder.

"Riku!" they exclaim happily.

The older man, who is equipped and dressed accordingly for battle, sighs in relief. "I was starting to think that you two were forgetting about me. I haven't seen you all morning."

"We could never forget about you, Riku," Kairi assures with a gentle smile, and Riku reciprocates her actions with slightly tinted cheeks.

"Besides, you were the one that was late for practice," Sora points out whilst sticking out his tongue.

"Sorry, Mansex wanted to have a quick chat with me," Riku informs as he stretches his arms. "So, if I'm not mistaken, we've booked the grid for training, but I'm not seeing a lot of training here."

"Kairi shot me with a gust of wind and knocked me into this pool," Sora says with a finger pointed accusingly at his housemate.

"He pulled me in with a magnega spell," Kairi argues.

Riku chuckles at their childish antics and crosses his arms. "I can't believe you two are getting paid for this."

Sora rolls his eyes. "Oh, ease up, Riku. Don't be such a killjoy. You need to relax."

"And how do you suppose I do that?" the silver-haired man asks, unknowingly setting himself up.

Sora and Kairi share a look, and within seconds, Riku finds himself treading water as well.

* * *

><p>Selphie sits alone in the cafeteria of her workplace, eagerly waiting for the arrival of her business partner. She briefly glances at her watch.<p>

Typical. He's five minutes late.

After a few more minutes of nail filing and impatient foot tapping, a familiar figure finally occupies the empty seat in front of her. The young man wears a black trench coat, a hood over his head, and a pair of sunglasses. He carries a paper bag in his right hand and smiles when he lays eyes on her.

"Miss Tilmitt," he greets with a firm nod.

"Did you bring the goods?" she asks. He tosses the paper bag onto the table.

"You're late," she then says with skittish eyes.

"Sorry," her companion apologizes as he removes his sunglasses, thus revealing his bright blue eyes. "Subway took forever," Sora says as he unbuttons his coat.

The stylist's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. "Wait, you took the _subway_?"

"Yeah," Sora answers with a shrug. "Kairi taught me how last night, and I didn't see the point in taking the car since your building isn't too far from mine."

Selphie shakes her head as if clearing her thoughts. "Wait wait wait. You mean to tell me that you willingly rode that gum-infested wasteland that runs underground without crying?"

Sora retrieves the paper bag. "Do you want your thai food or not?"

"Yes," Selphie pleads as she gets out of her seat. "Sorry, I'm just a little shocked that you took public transit." She then scans the cafeteria for any signs of Sora's red haired assistant. "Where is Kairi, anyway? I have a rough draft of a dress I'm designing for her."

"She's having lunch with Xion," Sora answers.

"Ah, so that's why you were late," Selphie teases as she points her chopsticks at her friend accusingly. "You really are hopeless without her."

"Am not," Sora argues childishly. "So, do you have what I asked for?"

Selphie wordlessly slides over a hot dog that she bought from the vendor just outside her building. Sora eagerly rubs his hands together and bags the food.

"Well, it sure was nice doing business with you, Selph," Sora says as he bows before her.

"Ah—and where do you think you're going?" the stylist asks as her male companion grabs his coat. "Sit your ass back down, Sora. We're not done here. Can't we just sit and talk for a bit?"

"That depends entirely on the subject of the conversation."

"I'm sure that talking about the upcoming Caelum Industries ball isn't going to do you any harm," Selphie assures.

Sora groans as he plops back down in his seat. "Selphie, for the last time, I'm not going to let you straighten my hair."

"I wasn't going to ask," says Selphie. "I was merely curious about who you were going with."

"I thought it was obvious," Sora says through a mouth full of food.

Selphie pokes at her noodles with a confused expression. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Kairi's my assistant," Sora explains. "Isn't she kind of… obligated to go with me?"

The stylist crosses her arms and frowns. Sora groans and surrenders his packet of ketchup. He knows this look, and he knows it well. It is the same look he received from his mother as a child when he had taken too many cookies from the jar; the look Xion gave him when he asked her if it was her time of the month; the look Kairi gave him when she found another one of his ties on the floor of his bedroom. It was the troublesome look that he received from women when he did/said something wrong.

"That isn't the case," Selphie then says. "It may work if this were any other girl that would willingly fall into your arms, but Kairi's not like that. She'd appreciate it if you actually asked her, you know."

Sora merely scoffs. "That's silly."

"She may be your housemate, your assistant, and your friend, but above all, she's a girl, Sora," Selphie reminds. "It's not right to assume that she'll just go with you because of her position in the company—unless, of course, you're just using that as an excuse because you're scared of rejection."

Sora nearly chokes on his hot dog. Selphie must have been out of her mind. "What? Scared? Yeah, right."

"Uh huh," the young woman says, obviously unconvinced. "Well, I will gladly be here for all your rebound needs. Your company always picks the best caterers for parties. The calamari last year was fantastic."

"Yeah, well, thanks for the offer, but I don't think your services will be needed," Sora says as he tosses his trash into the closest bin. He then grabs his coat and jokingly bows before her. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Tilmitt."

"Just remember that I'm on speed dial!" she calls after him when he begins to walk away.

"Whatever," he grumbles as he puts on his sunglasses.

* * *

><p>Across the dining table, Kairi stares at Sora intensely.<p>

With confidence and determination, he stares right back.

She narrows her eyes, and he does the same. Even at such a distance, the tension between them is enough for a streak of lightning to form in between their eyes.

Just as Sora is about to lay down one of his playing cards, the doorbell rings and distracts the two from their focus.

"Since when do you ring the doorbell?" Kairi asks when she answers the door.

Xion merely shrugs before letting herself in. "I wanted to warn you guys that I was coming in for a visit in case you were doing something…" Xion pauses her explanation midway when she sees Sora staring at a pile of cards intently in the kitchen. "Important…" she finishes distantly. "What are you two doing?"

"Playing slapjack," Kairi answers as they make their way to the kitchen. "We couldn't decide over who was going to wash the dishes so—ah, Sora! You totally gave me five more cards!" the redhead accuses.

"What?" the brunet asks, feigning innocence. "I did not!"

"Well, it doesn't matter," Kairi says as she smoothes out her shorts to calm herself down. "I'm going to beat you anyway."

"Bring it," Sora challenges.

After laying down cards at outstanding speeds, Sora eventually emerges victorious, and Kairi curses upon accepting defeat. With slumped shoulders, she apologizes to Xion and heads over to the kitchen sink to accept her punishment.

Back at the dining table, Xion slaps Sora's arm in disapproval.

"Ow!" Sora yelps. "What? I beat her fair and square!"

"Okay, first of all, no you didn't. I saw you sneak those cards into her deck. And second, that wasn't for the dishes!" Xion growls in a hushed tone. "Why haven't you asked Kairi to the ball yet?"

Sora frowns. "How did you know about that? Did Selphie get to you?" He then proceeds in taking a kitchen knife from one of the drawers and waving it around. "Where is she? Where's the hidden camera?" He then beats his chest and scans the ceiling with wild eyes. "You'll never take me alive!"

Xion smacks the weapon out of Sora's hand and drags him by the collar to the corner of the kitchen. "No, you dolt. I know you haven't asked her yet because if you did, she would've told me already. Now what's with the hold up?"

Sora groans. He's suddenly starting to question who really won that last game.

"I don't see the point in asking my _assistant_ to _assist_ me at some party," Sora explains in a secretive whisper.

"It's gentlemanly!" Xion argues.

"It's pointless," Sora insists.

Xion places her hands on her hips and turns away at her neighbour's stubbornness. "Fine, but don't come running to me when some other guy asks her to the ball."

Sora scoffs. "Please. What guy would be brave enough to ask _my_ assistant to the ball? Dates, sure, but a public event? I don't think so."

_Oh, I can think of someone,_ Xion thinks as she recalls some frequent and rather detailed emails from a certain silver-haired man.

* * *

><p>"You're kidding," Sora insists as he jams the keys into the lock of the apartment.<p>

"I'm totally serious," Kairi assures as she walks inside and places her share of the grocery bags onto the island in the kitchen.

"Tell me it isn't so," Sora pleads dramatically as he places the heavy case of water bottles and soda on the island as well. "You did _not_ have your first kiss at Disneyworld, Kairi."

His housemate huffs and places her hands on her hips. "Well, it happened. Do you not approve of the location of my first experience at lip to lip contact?"

"Well, it's just… that's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard," Sora admits as he washes one of the apples they purchased earlier.

"Oh yeah? How did your first kiss go?" Kairi asks as she pokes him in the chest. He nearly giggles at the height difference between them. She _just_ meets his shoulders.

"I was fourteen, and we were walking on the beach," Sora replies as he wipes the apple on the hem of his shirt.

"And let me guess, the sun was halfway down the horizon and you basked in the sunset whilst enjoying the last of the summer breeze on your rosy cheeks," Kairi finishes.

Sora chews on his apple with raised eyebrows. "Wow, it's like you were there."

Kairi scoffs. "And you said _my_ first kiss was cheesy." When she takes a seat on one of the stools, her boss sends her a sly look.

"So was he any good?" he then asks.

"What?" Kairi squeaks, immediately expressing embarrassment with flailing hands.

"The guy you shared your first kiss with. Was he any good or was he sloppy as hell?"

Kairi shrinks in her seat. "Wha—that's hardly any concern of yours!"

Sora chuckles as he leans over the counter to lower his face to Kairi's level. Embarrassing her is slowly becoming one of his favourite activities solely because of her facial expressions.

"That bad, huh?" he asks.

"No," Kairi says as she rubs her elbow. Sora raises an eyebrow at her with an entertained grin.

"Yes," Kairi confesses.

Sora laughs. "I'm sorry to hear that. But it only gets better from there, doesn't it?" he offers.

"You would know," Kairi teases, and Sora acknowledges her joke by raising his apple as if giving a toast. "So how was your first kisser? Did she kiss like a wet fish?"

"No, she was fantastic. I was the one at fault," Sora admits sheepishly. Kairi rests her chin on her palms, clearly interested. "In my defense, it's very difficult to be aware that you're kissing improperly," Sora says. "It felt pretty good to me, but she insisted that my work was sloppy."

Kairi pouts and pats his free hand reassuringly. "Aww, did she hurt your man pride?"

Sora dramatically sniffles and straightens himself. "Yes, but it's okay, because ever since then, all I've had were satisfied customers."

Kairi rolls her eyes with a chuckle. Then, with an expectant and flirtatious smile, she tucks some claret hair behind her right ear.

"So," she starts, "are you ready to get your groove on at the ball this weekend?" she finishes slyly.

Sora nearly chokes on his apple.

"Did you just say _get your groove on_?" he repeats incredulously.

"Oh, you know what I mean," Kairi says offhandedly.

"Nah, I don't do much dancing," Sora confesses. "Besides, that isn't really a skill that's required for balls."

Kairi throws her head back with a laugh. "The word _ball _comes from the Latin word _ballare_, which literally means _to dance_. So yeah, I think dancing is pretty central to this weekend's gathering."

Sora merely sticks his tongue out at her. "What textbook did you swallow, Ms. Know-It-All?"

"It's romantic, okay?" Kairi says defensively. "I'll have you know that a lot of girls love a guy who can lead them on the dance floor."

"So you're implying that ballroom dancing can get me laid?" Sora asks, amused. As a response, his housemate just grabs his wrist and leads him to the center of the living room, his apple long forgotten on the island. After selecting an appropriate record for her record player, Kairi returns to a very confused Sora and nonchalantly places his right hand on her side. He immediately turns red at the intimate contact.

"You taught me how to use a keyblade," Kairi says as she calmly brings their clasped hands up to level with their shoulders and rests her other hand on his free shoulder. "Now I'm going to teach you how to dance. This is called the waltz." She feels him stiffen beneath her hand. "Relax," she advises, and she helps him take deep, calming breathes. "This is going to go much more smoothly if we're both comfortable. Are you good?"

Sora bites on his lower lip as he feels his hands get clammier with each passing second. It had been a while since he had touched a girl so gently, and Kairi's chest was only mere inches from his own.

"Okay, we're going to start with simple footwork," the redhead instructs. "This is a very simple, but elegant dance overall. The more you get used to it, the more graceful you'll be. Ready?"

"I, uh, I guess?" Sora squeaks.

"Okay. Look down and pretend you're walking on a box. Put your left foot forward."

Sora willingly obeys as Kairi skillfully takes one step back. He inwardly sighs in relief—he hasn't stepped on her foot yet.

"Good. Now bring your right foot forward, but don't put it on the ground just yet. Bring it down to the right corner of your box, and then bring your feet together. Good! You're doing good so far, Sora!" Kairi exclaims excitedly.

He smiles like a child that has been praised for his stick figure drawings.

"And then what?" he asks, because he'd never admit it out loud, but their synchronized movements are beginning to interest him.

"Step back with your right foot," Kairi continues as she steps forward with her left. "Then-"

"Bring my left foot to the left corner of my box and then bring my feet together?" Sora interrupts sheepishly. Kairi grins madly as Sora leads her through these motions.

"See? That was pretty easy, right? Now we'll just repeat those steps until you're comfortable," Kairi orders. "Ready?"

For five minutes they dance in their little boxes, and when Sora begins to relax under Kairi's touch, the redhead decides that it's time to move on.

"The footwork here is a little more complicated," Kairi warns. "Essentially, it's still the box footwork, but bigger and diagonal. Think you can handle it?"

Minutes later, Sora realizes that he can't handle it.

"Ow!" Kairi yelps when Sora clumsily steps on her foot for the third time.

"Sorry!" her boss apologizes with an embarrassed expression. He lets go of her immediately and inspects the damage. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Kairi insists with a pained expression.

"I don't think we should continue," Sora suggests while rubbing the back of his head. "You might end up using crutches at the ball."

"No, I believe in you," Kairi says with a determined grin and hopeful eyes. "You can do this."

Sora finds himself blushing under her faithful gaze. With grace, she brings them into the standard waltz position once again and guides him through the steps. He eventually gets it after a few more tries, and in the next few minutes, Sora forces himself to master every step so that he won't have to see Kairi suffer at the expense of his lousy footwork ever again.

"Are you ready to move on?" Kairi asks. Sora simply nods as he runs a thumb across Kairi's hand, causing her heart to beat erratically.

For the next few minutes she walks him through how he should stand when he leads a girl through a series of different flourishes and combinations involving quarter turns and whatnot, and when Sora has the basic hang of it, he begins to feel his living room disappear entirely.

In its place, there is a girl, and in that moment, she is all there is. There is only her stifled laughter, her rose scented hair, her soft, but firm touch, and swift, but elegant movements that are somehow able to entice him without effort. There is no past, future, or any sense of time. There is only her.

"Sora," she says, and when he is brought back to reality, he realizes that they have subconsciously positioned themselves for a dip. He instinctively tenses, but Kairi looks at him reassuringly. "Hey," she whispers softly, "you can trust me. Just grab onto my back, the back of my leg, and use your thigh for extra support for my back. I'll take it from there."

With a gulp, Sora complies, and he successfully and safely lowers Kairi until her succulent neck is fully exposed to him alongside some cleavage from her low cut shirt. He nearly drops her in fears of doing something irrational, but luckily Kairi pulls herself upward and looks at Sora with slightly disheveled hair and flushed cheeks.

Sora inwardly groans. Okay, so_ maybe_ she did deserve to be asked to the ball after all she's done for him. It would be gentlemanly of him, and Kairi was a sucker for that romantic crap. She'd truly appreciate the gesture, and all it took was a few words.

"I need to tell you something," Sora impulsively blurts out, but his eyes widen in surprise when Kairi says the exact same thing at the exact same time.

"You first," Sora insists.

Kairi looks at her friend with guilt and uncertainty. He had looked so calm and peaceful when they were dancing earlier, and she didn't want to ruin his mood and break his focus by telling him about the engagement now. She had gotten him to open up to her and relax during that last dance, and she didn't want to ruin the slight progress they had made in their relationship that evening.

Kairi sighs.

One more day couldn't hurt, right?

"I, uh… I just wanted to tell you that you're doing a great job," she lies with her hands still resting on his shoulders. "What were you going to say?"

Kairi feels Sora's shoulders tighten as he inhales sharply.

He had forgotten that asking implied the option of rejection. He couldn't think of any reasons that would make Kairi refuse him, but there was still the chance that she'd say no. He'd never been good at knowing for sure, but then again, what guy was? He didn't want to risk traveling down the road of rejection again.

Besides, Kairi wasn't the "hit it and quit it" kind of girl that he'd spend one night with. He spent _every_ night with her, and each night promised a new adventure—adventures that didn't involve being naughty for once. If she refused him, things would be awkward not only in the workplace, but in the household as well. Their friendship wasn't something he wanted to risk at this stage. After countless sea-salt ice cream bars and games of slapjack, they were, admittedly, too far gone.

Sora sighs. Oh, if only Selphie and Xion could see him now. The great playboy Sora, reduced to nothing more than a middle school boy that's afraid of asking a girl to the dance. Selphie had been right earlier—he was scared.

"U-um… Selphie texted me and said that your dress for the ball is ready. She's going to have it sent over tomorrow," Sora stammers. It isn't a complete lie—the young stylist technically did text him those exact details over two hours ago. It just… wasn't what he meant to say at the moment.

"Oh," Kairi says with a weak nod. Sora berates himself for the slightly disappointed expression that makes its way onto her face. "All right. Thanks for letting me know. Should we, uh…" she looks at the ground while uncomfortably rubbing her elbow. "Should we finish up your dance lesson?"

This time, it is Sora who brings them together. Surely that gesture was enough of a clue that he wanted to go with her, right?

As Kairi begins to add her own impromptu spins and twirls, there is no clearer proof for Sora that she is going to be his partner for the ball. He needn't ask. Why else would she be dancing with him, anyway? She was clearly going with him. Selphie and Xion were just trying to make him paranoid, and that was all there was to it.

* * *

><p>After work the following day, Axel holds the elevator doors just as a familiar friend rushes inside after practice in the training room. After a breathless "thank you", Sora straightens himself and adjusts his tie out of habit. The pyromaniac raises a suspicious eyebrow at the younger man as the elevator doors close in front of them.<p>

"Where's Kairi?" the male redhead asks.

"Went ahead to pack her stuff with Riku on the twenty-fifth floor," Sora answers as the elevator begins to descend.

Axel shakes his head in attempts to get his facts straight. "Wait, you left Kairi and Riku alone?"

"More like they left me," Sora answers with skittish eyes. "And now that I think about it, Riku seemed pretty insistent on it, but I can't figure out why he'd want to speak to Kairi privately. We're like three peas in a pod, you know?"

The older man shakes his head at Sora's obliviousness to the situation.

"So, have you asked Kairi to the ball yet?" the redhead hints.

A forlorn expression makes its way onto Sora's face. "No, Axel, not you too! How many people is that woman going to corrupt?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Axel asks, clearly confused.

"You're my _boy_, Axel," Sora clarifies. "You of all people should understand that our devilishly good looks and charm are enough to sweep a woman off her feet!"

Axel throws his hands into his pockets with a proud smirk, recalling some of his recent accomplishments regarding women. "Well, I can't argue with you there, but Kairi's a nice girl. She deserves to be asked. I know Larxene would bite my head off if I didn't ask her personally."

"You _asked_ Larxene?" Sora asks, flabbergasted.

"Yeah man. These are different circumstances," Axel explains. "We're talking common courtesy here. Balls are some extravagant shit."

"But you're Axel Flamen and I'm Sora Fair, damn it. We can get any girl we want," Sora protests.

"Yes, but it takes a different attitude to get the ones that really matter, got it memorized?" Axel says.

Sora blinks twice before responding. "That may have been the most profound thing I've ever heard you say, Axel."

"Yeah, don't go around telling people," the redhead mutters. "Anyways, I suggest you ask Kairi before it's too late, Cinderella. The clock's ticking. Unless someone else gets to her first, she's not going to say no to you," he adds, well aware of Sora's fear of rejection.

"How are you so sure?" the brunet mumbles.

Axel bites back a laugh. Day by day, remnants of the old Sora were returning, and today, his naiveté was one of them. "She's not going to say no. I suggest you ask her the instant you see her again, because I don't think this pod has room for three peas."

With newly found confidence, Sora nods in understanding, but when the elevator doors part on the twenty-fifth floor, Kairi walks in with a dreamy expression on her face. There is an unusual bounce to her step and Sora figures that the twinkle in her eyes can be seen from the moon.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Axel asks as the doors close behind her. "You look like a teenage girl that just got her first kiss on the front porch of her house," he says, all the while sending Sora a warning look.

"Oh, nothing," Kairi answers distantly as her hips sway along to the elevator music. She suddenly pulls a red rose from her purse and sighs into it lovingly. "Riku just asked me to the ball, that's all."

Five seconds.

Five seconds is all it takes for the realization to sink in, and when it does, Sora's heart drops to his stomach. It isn't direct rejection, but it hurts just the same.

Riku, his _best friend_, asked Kairi, _his _assistant, to the ball? It isn't exactly a foul play, but that certainly must have broken some sort of rule in the Bro Code.

_Thou shall not stealeth the girl of another,_ Sora recalls.

Axel sends him a look that says, _Not if the girl wasn't yours to begin with_ followed by an eyebrow raise that says, _Bitch, I told you._

_Fuck,_ Sora inwardly curses, unable to respond to Kairi's news. She doesn't seem to mind though, as she is probably off in la la land dreaming about his hunk of a best friend.

Sora resists the sudden urge to punch a wall. He could've_ easily _escorted her to the ball, but he let the opportunity slip past his fingers numerous times. Now Kairi was going to be announced with Riku, and he would be the asshole boss eating calamari from Selphie's purse.

In the back of his mind, he can already hear his mother berating him for his foolish actions. She was probably the one who provided Riku with the rose that was currently in Kairi's hands. He is already expecting a very angry call from his mother later in the evening.

"That's rough, buddy," Axel says when Kairi exits the elevator excitedly. He pats Sora's shoulder, and the younger man knows that this is a gesture of mockery and pity.

When he enters the car, Kairi says nothing, and she spends the whole car ride home twirling the rose in her hand.

* * *

><p>Kairi sighs as she fans herself with Roxas and Naminé's wedding invitation. Over the course of a month, she had memorized every fiber of its being, and she was confident that she could recite its contents without a single mistake. From a far off perspective, relaying these words to Sora appeared to be an easy task, but she still couldn't bring herself to do it—here on the day of the ball of all days. Sora would be finding out in a few hours, and she had yet to even utter his brother's name in all the days she's spent with him.<p>

A knock on the door distracts her from her thoughts.

Thinking fast, the redhead immediately hides the envelope behind a tissue box on her vanity table and allows the person on the other side of her door to enter. At first she expects it to be Sora, dressed and ready for the night's festivities, but it is the kind face of Selphie that greets her.

"Okay my dear, I think I've got the last of your accessories," the stylist says as she holds out two golden bangles. She slips them through Kairi's arms effortlessly and they rest comfortably in the area between Kairi's shoulder and elbow.

"Wow," is all Selphie can say when she asks Kairi to stand and twirl for her. "You are truly a masterpiece, Kairi Hart."

"Only because you're a miracle worker," the redhead says as she leans in for a hug. "Thanks for offering to do my hair and makeup—and this dress! The finished product is absolutely gorgeous," she adds as she runs a hand through the smooth material.

"Awe, it's always my pleasure," Selphie says, accepting the embrace with enthusiasm. After a few moments of silence, the stylist pulls away from the embrace and holds Kairi at arm's length. "Now tell me: are you okay?"

Kairi innocently cocks her head to the side. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because it usually doesn't take three dabs of concealer to cover up your eye bags," Selphie explains. She leads them both to the edge of Kairi's bed so that they can sit comfortably whilst conversing. "Does your lack of sleep have something to do with the fact that Sora didn't ask you to tonight's event?"

The question hits Kairi like a hammer in a game of whack-a-chocobo. On top of the engagement issue, that topic wasn't something she really wanted to discuss.

She had taught her boss how to _dance_ for crying aloud! Was that not an obvious enough hint? Did she not deserve a more special place in his heart? Riku was a great guy and a complete gentleman, but the amount of time she spent with him couldn't measure to the amount she'd spent with Sora.

For months she had grown fonder and fonder of her hopelessly messy roommate. She was quite fond of the way he laughed and the way he made her laugh in return. She couldn't bear to ruin this system between them, and it was safe to say that in between their little moments together, Kairi had developed some sort of a crush on her housemate. He had become dear to her, but not to the extent that she'd let her measly feelings jeopardize everything. She just found him cute, that was all—and how could she not, with the way he smiled and opened the car door for her every morning? Cute may not have been professional, but it was harmless.

So when he refused to acknowledge all her expectant looks, she tried not to let it break her in more ways than one. She had forgotten that he was the boy that greeted her shirtless with a half-naked model running out of his room. She was just a random girl from Radiant Garden; a pawn on his chess board. He wouldn't go for someone like her.

"Hun, it's okay, I'd be pretty ticked about it, too," Selphie then says when she realizes that Kairi hasn't responded for quite some time. "It was a dick move, yes, but you'll have to excuse him again. He acts like a little boy when it comes to matters like these. Don't let it take a toll on your self-esteem. It's just Sora being stupid, so nothing's out of the ordinary here," she jokes.

Kairi chuckles, admittedly feeling a little better. "Thanks, Selph. I think that's just what I needed."

"No problem," Selphie insists, glad to have lifted her client's spirits before the big event. "Now, I'm going to finish getting ready myself. Meet you in the living room in five," Selphie says, and just as she's about to enter the hallway, she adds in a secretive whisper, "And between you and me, Riku's the hotter one."

The sound of the door closing behind the stylist is enough to hide Kairi's laughter. After a final and pleased glance at the mirror, she deems herself presentable and grabs her matching jewel-encrusted clutch before walking out into the living room; and like the invitation that she had snuck behind her tissue box, Kairi pushes the matter of the engagement to the back of her mind and decides that she will tell Sora during the party, assuming that the announcement would come last, of course.

When she enters the living room, the word cute is thrown out the window.

Sora stands in the center, dressed in a simple but elegant black suit that compliments his figure in all the right places. Underneath his blazer, he wears a charcoal grey button up, and a sleek yellow tie has been secured and properly tied around his neck. His hair remains an untamable mess, but his assistant believes that it is essential in defining his character. It is distinctively Sora.

He appears to be looking at his phone, but when he hears the sound of a throat clearing behind him, he nearly drops the small device onto the hardwood floor.

"Jesus, Kairi," he gasps as he attempts to regain a stable hold on his phone. "Don't do that."

She giggles into the palm of her hand as she walks towards him. "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt you from taking your daily selfies?"

"I wasn't taking selfies," he argues defensively. "I was just checking the tempera—"

This time, Sora actually drops his phone. He is highly convinced that this has to be some trick of the light. If he could grab his phone and get another reading on the temperature, it would be off the scale.

The young woman in front of him certainly has Kairi's voice, and that was undoubtedly the colour of her hair, but this was _not _his assistant. This… this was Aphrodite in physical form.

Selphie had dressed Kairi in a golden Greek inspired dress that fell off one of her shoulders in a seductive, but classy fashion. The one strap on her other shoulder had a slight cape running down her exposed back, and a large golden band was placed around her waist to accentuate her curves. A slit ran down the side of her dress to give a teasing view of her creamy legs, and Greek inspired sandals swirled up to her knee in a criss-cross fashion.

Sora silently laughs to himself. Selphie had outdone herself this time. She had created an outfit to specifically suit Kairi's needs. Given his assistant's overactive self and clumsiness with heels, these last few details were nothing short of perfect.

Her wavy hair was styled into an elegant and intricate side ponytail that only Selphie's nimble fingers could pull off, and she looks up at him with glittery—albeit nervous—eyes and deliciously pink lips.

Sora just stands there, unmoving and suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. She could have been his. She could have been the one holding onto his arm tonight, but she wasn't. Riku was going to be the envy of every man in the room, and that didn't exclude Sora.

"Close your mouth," he suddenly hears Selphie say. The stylist comes into view, looking as good as she normally does in her short yellow dress. He feels her push his jaw upward with her index finger. He hadn't even noticed he was gaping. Kairi merely twiddles her thumbs, unsure of her next move.

"Are you two ready to go?" Selphie asks. She proudly places her hands on her hips upon noticing the look of desire in Sora's eyes. He finally snaps out of his trance when Selphie effectively slaps his arm.

"Ow!" he yelps, recalling a similar event with Xion a few days back. Selphie narrows her eyes at him.

"I mean," he corrects while clearing his throat and pulling on the lapels of his blazer. He sends Kairi one last glance and his lips curve into a sad, apologetic smile. "Yeah, let's go."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations:<strong> The song Sora and Kairi were waltzing to was _Dearly Beloved (Dream Drop Distance Version). _I love how it gets all waltz-y towards the end.

**Sorry for the semi-late update! I've recently moved to a different province to live with my cousins for a few months, so I needed some time to pack and settle in. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for the wait. It was originally supposed to be super short, but whenever I say that, it ends up being super long lol. **

**All righty, we have come across another one of those chapters that are used to hype up the next few, but I did enjoy writing parts of this! Watching Sora struggle with his view on women is such entertaining torment for me. I actually didn't plan the scene with him and Kairi in the training room, so it essentially came into being from nowhere. I thought the story needed more adventure and friendship feels. For me, their discussion about first kisses was a reminder of their age and what they've already gone through without the other. They're no longer kids, but when they tease each other and bicker, the feeling is certainly there. **

**Lol so Kairi's dress is kind of an Elsa meets Queen Gorgo from 300 kind of thing. I've always been into Greek mythology, but feel free to be imaginative.**

**Special thanks to **InnocentSerenade, It's My Lucky Charm, applebear, Sookdeo, Bilbo B. Swaggins, khfanforever, KittyKat1217, SoraxKairi7, Amulet Misty, Shadowred, Wildgirl404, Crush-Chan17, **and** Rivendell101 **for reviewing the last chapter! Thank you to those who have also put this story on alert and/or favourited it! I think the story is making really good progress at this stage, and I only have all of you to thank! I apologize for any misspelled or forgotten pen names.**

**I hope you enjoyed the tenth installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review to tell me your thoughts and/or feels, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors I might have missed, and I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can! I want to say that it's a short one, but we all know what happens when I say that.**

**PS. To lighten up the mood after recent events, here's an omake/original ending to one of the scenes from an earlier scene in this chapter.**

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><p><strong>Omake (Extra)<strong>

"Kairi shot me with a gust of wind and knocked me into this pool," Sora says with a finger pointed accusingly at his assistant.

"He pulled me in with a magnega spell," Kairi argues.

Riku chuckles at their childish antics and crosses his arms. "Well, Sora, that's certainly one way to get a girl wet."


	11. Chapter 11

**eleven**

.

.

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_The dice add up to a total of eleven._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move down eight spaces._

.

.

.

Riku stands just outside of the venue, nervously toying with the transparent box in his hands.

How long had it been since he'd had a date? Two, three years? He didn't care much for dating, unless Sora or Selphie unknowingly set him up on one, and he hadn't met any girls that interested him before. He was living the dream: he was satisfied with his life, his job, and the relationships he shared with his friends and family—but then he met a girl in a coffee shop. When she turned around to face him that day with her oversized glasses and frizzy red hair, she effectively turned his whole world around.

She was a breath of fresh air in a world that revolved around munny and technology—a beacon of hope for his best friend. Looking at her was like looking at a hint of promise, or a glimpse into a brighter future. She was the kind of girl he admired; the kind he wanted to learn from; the kind he wanted to do grand gestures for because he knew that she'd truly appreciate them. For twenty-six years, it seemed that he hadn't known the true meaning of the word desire until now.

The sound of the elevator doors opening distracts him from his thoughts. He jumps every time he hears the familiar _ding_, but it had always been a false alarm until that moment. Selphie is the first to skip out, followed by Sora who seems to be conversing with someone animatedly. Riku's eyes then land on Sora's conversational partner and his heart stops.

Did his eyes deceive him, or was his best friend talking to a goddess?

"Hey Riku," Selphie greets as she leans against him with crossed arms. "You look handsome tonight," she says, admiring his dark slim fitting suit. He had also tied his hair back into a low ponytail—something he only did on special occasions.

"Thanks," he says, unable to keep his eyes off the divine being.

The red-haired beauty suddenly stops in front of him with her hands laced behind her back. She looks directly at him with an anxious expression on her face, and if her indigo eyes hadn't smiled the way they just did, he never would have known that the young woman in front of him was his date.

"Do I look okay?" she asks, pulling at her cape to show it off.

Riku clears his throat and playfully scans the area around him before snaking an arm around Kairi's waist.

"Excuse me ma'am, but I think we need to leave before my date sees me," he whispers into her ear, and she chuckles as he leads her into the ballroom. Behind them, Selphie elbows her date in the gut as he gags.

Inside, the dance floor is packed with well-dressed employees and their dates. Silver cloths made of silk adorn the circular tables, and the combination of candlelight and blue and purple spotlights give the atmosphere an overall romantic feel. Silver trees line up the sides of the ballroom, each with a string of lights weaving through its branches. In the back of the room, the DJ rests on a balcony, and because the ball was taking place on the highest building of the upper district, the dome-shaped roof made entirely of glass panels contained a spectacular view of the night sky and all its starry glory.

"Ladies and gentleman," the DJ says into his head mic, his voice booming across the entire room and capturing the attention of everyone inside. "Now presenting Selphie Tilmitt of _Belle _and her date, Caelum Industries' own Sora Fair."

The crowd breaks out into applause as the two walk towards each other on opposite staircases. Sora offers his arm to Selphie and she wraps her arms around it almost instantly. As the spotlight hits them both, the two smile and wave as they walk down the final staircase and stop when the next pair of names are announced.

"Presenting the lovely Kairi Hart escorted by Riku Masamune of Caelum Industries."

The sound of applause fills the room again, only this time, there are plenty of wolf whistles in the air. When the spotlight hits them, Riku presents the corsage he had in the box earlier to Kairi and places it on her wrist with a gleeful smile. Then, without warning, Riku takes his date by the hand and spins her, her hands landing on his chest afterward. Cheers sound from the crowd once again and some women even sigh in delight.

As they make their way down the third staircase, Sora can't help but realize how good his best friend and assistant looked next to each other. He had never noticed before, but they looked like a pair of gods walking straight down from Olympus.

Selphie feels Sora's fists clench. It could have been him up there accompanying the goddess, but he fancied himself a god and was too prideful to ask.

His cerulean eyes then zero in on the corsage around Kairi's wrist. The flower had been carefully wrapped onto the band with a pink ribbon, and Sora only knows one florist that used that particular shade of pink.

"Well, well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes," says a familiar voice. When the applause dies down and everyone returns to minding their own business, Riku and Kairi come face to face with Axel and Larxene, both dressed in an olive green and black colour scheme.

"Wow Axel, I could hardly recognize you with your hair gelled back," Kairi says while nodding in approval. "You look good."

"Don't get used to it," the pyromaniac mutters. "Besides," he says as he haughtily tugs on the lapels of black blazer. "I always look good."

Kairi rolls her eyes as Sora and Selphie casually enter the conversation.

"So where's the calamari at?" Selphie asks, desperately searching the area for the breaded squid.

"Some guy was handing them out on a tray earlier. He might be by the fondue fountain," Larxene informs, and the stylist sprints off without a moment's hesitation. Sora slaps his forehead, not even bothering to go after her and face the wrath of her obsession.

"Kairi, would you like to dance?" Riku asks, bowing and offering his hand to her like a true gentleman.

"It would be my pleasure, kind sir," his date accepts with a playful curtsey.

"Hey, wait—"Sora calls out as the two make their way to the dance floor.

"We'll meet you back at the table for dinner!" Riku says over the music. He and Kairi then become one with the sea of dancing people, far away from Sora's range of vision.

Larxene cackles beside him.

"Well isn't this ironic?" she asks with a mocking tone. "The great playboy Sora with not even one girl on his arm. Your assistant is clearly out of the question—and your league, I may add."

"Give him a break, Larxene," Axel says as he pulls her to him by the waist. "Even if it is true," he adds with a whisper, and the two snicker at the lonely employee before them.

"Ha ha," Sora laughs, his chuckles laced with sarcasm.

Axel supportively claps his friend on the shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy. We've all been there before—actually, wait, no, we haven't. You may just be that rare exception—"

"This pep talk isn't making me feel any better," the young man informs with bitterness.

"Sorry," the pyromaniac apologizes. "But check it. Hot blonde in the red dress. 2 o'clock," he then says, pointing in the general direction of the young and attractive woman sitting alone at the table marked with the number 8 in the center. "D tits, and I've seen her walk around earlier. She's got tons of junk in that trunk. Park that baby home."

Sora scrunches his nose and shakes his head. "No thanks. I think I'm just going to head over to the bar for a few drinks."

Larxene and Axel share a look as the brunet dismisses himself without another word.

"What's up his ass?" Larxene asks.

"Not quite sure," Axel answers as he wraps his thin arms around his girlfriend's waist from behind. "But I know what will be up yours later," he seductively whispers into her ear.

Larxene turns her head to the side to face him with a look of disapproval. "You're disgusting."

"I know," he says as he pecks her lips without warning. "But you love it."

Larxene throws her head back with a laugh and rests it on Axel's shoulder. "Yeah, I do."

In the middle of the dance floor, Riku effortlessly pulls Kairi into the standard waltz position and leads her with graceful steps and ease.

"I didn't know you could dance," Kairi admits as she follows him effortlessly. He was a wonderful dance partner.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Riku says with a smirk. He properly guides her into a quarter turn and pulls her back in for the box formation that Kairi had taught Sora a few days prior. When she smiles up at him, he suddenly decides that she may not know much about him, but there are plenty of things he wants to know about her. He wants to know if red is her natural hair colour, what her favourite flower is, why she moved to New Twilight of all places…

However, the moment is lost a few minutes into their little dance.

"Somebody has to tell him," Kairi mutters. Riku sighs. He'd hoped that tonight's festivities would be calm and relaxing, but all good things came to an end eventually.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," the silver-haired man says in a playful voice to lighten the mood. He then lowers his mouth to Kairi's ear and whispers, "Rock paper scissors."

Kairi pulls away with a laugh, capturing the attention of everyone on the dance floor. She turns her attention back to an amused Riku with tinted cheeks.

"Are you serious?" she whispers.

"Dead serious," Riku says with a smile that betrays his sincerity.

Kairi raises her fist with a competitive grin. "You're on."

Back at the bar, Sora sits on a vacant stool and downs his shot of elixir in two seconds flat. He shuts his eyes and shakes his head as the familiar feeling of vodka spreading through his chest overwhelms him. He can feel the heat spreading through his veins, though he's unsure if the heat's true source is from the alcohol or the anger bubbling inside of him.

It was so simple. Asking.

But it was also so difficult.

It wasn't like a game where he could predict the outcome with every move he made. Lasting relationships that mattered, like Axel had said, required risk and a different attitude. Playing it safe clearly didn't work with Kairi, so was it possible that all his earlier theories were… wrong? Sora slams the shot glass back down with a sigh.

One girl.

One little girl with big dreams is all it takes for him to realize that he's been such a fool. She's taxed him mentally and she doesn't even know it.

He tries to smile when he sees _his _assistant laughing on the dance floor with all eyes on her, but he can't bring himself to mean it. He is glad that, out of all people, it is his best friend that can make her happy, but he can't let go of the possibility that, had circumstances been even slightly different, it could have been him making her laugh on that dance floor instead of downing drinks at the bar making philosophical epiphanies.

Sora sighs. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"What's gotten you in a slump?" a familiar feminine voice asks, and when Sora looks up, he swears that some divine force must be laughing at him from some unreachable place.

"Naminé," he breathes, drinking in her short but elegant turquoise dress. It ends just above her knees and adds colour to her face, if not her entire being. Seeing her in something other than white was always refreshing.

It had been a while since he'd seen her in person, and he can't help but notice that she looks happier this time round. It hurts, but at the same time he's happy, and he's still trying to figure out how that's entirely possible.

"Where's your date?" she asks, occupying the seat next to him.

"Probably stuffing her face with the last of the night's calamari," Sora answers. He hadn't meant for it to be a joke, but Naminé laughs anyway, so he braces himself for the flood of memories that overwhelm him: glassy blue eyes watching him through a curtain of ashen coloured hair, skilled fingers working away at a blank sketchbook page, the smell of paint on his clothes, countless Polaroid pictures on a bed, soft, pale hands reaching out to cup his face…

"So what's wrong?" Naminé asks as she smoothes out her dress.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Sora answers through slightly teary eyes. She's just as beautiful as he remembers.

His ex-girlfriend pouts. "Don't be like that. You know I still care about you."

"I know, but I don't want you to see me like this," Sora admits shamefully. "I'm having a moment of weakness."

"Isn't that when you need to talk about things the most?" Naminé points out. Sora groans. From talks about life to choosing the best soap for his dishes, she had always been right.

"Now lay it on me," the artist demands.

Sora sighs and leans into his palm. "I've been an ass, haven't I?"

Naminé chuckles into her hand. "And what makes you say that?"

"For two years I've seen women as easy—commodities, even, because I thought that it was pointless to engage in something that wouldn't last," Sora confesses. "That mindset was kind of like a defense mechanism, wasn't it? I always thought that if I kept things easy and evasive, I would be happy without the looming threat of being left behind. I thought that the meaningful relationships advertised in the movies were impossible. Now… I'm not so sure."

"Sora," Naminé says softly. She reaches out to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder and he instinctively tenses. Then, when the familiarity sets in, he finds himself relaxing into her touch.

"I think you're over romanticizing these meaningful relationships," she starts. "Running into the sunset with the credits scrolling upward—yes, that may be bullshit, but perhaps relationships that matter are a lot simpler than that. Maybe a good relationship doesn't rely on the overhyped canoe rides or the late night drives to the beach. At the end of the day, maybe it just relies on the sole ability for two people to communicate and understand each other. That isn't entirely impossible—I can already think of a handful of people that you could do that with. Perhaps that's why you get along so well with Xion, with Riku, with your mom, and a few others. And, to a certain extent, I know you can relate to Kairi, too. That's why I sent her to live with you. You, above everyone else, can understand how she feels, how she works. You're just what she needs, and you need her, too. I don't just make these decisions out of the blue, you know."

Sora's index finger swirls around the tip of shot glass as he drinks in the facts. Perhaps that's exactly why it hurt him now. Kairi mattered, and he let her down. It was all a matter of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and pride. Next time, he wouldn't let that get in the way.

He turns to give Naminé a thankful smile. That's why he loved her. She was always so smart.

"Thank you, Naminé," he says graciously.

She playfully pinches his cheek. "It's no problem at all, Sora."

Back in the middle of the dance floor, Kairi scans the ballroom with bright, excited eyes and comes across a familiar sight: Roxas, dressed in an all black suit and turquoise tie, laughing with Axel with a glass of wine in hand. Watching the two makes her heart swell with the warm sensation of friendship, but the moment is gone as soon as it comes. If Roxas was there, then where was…

Kairi unexpectedly pulls away from Riku and looks around with heightened senses and widened eyes.

"Wh—Kairi, what's wrong?" Riku asks with concern. His date slowly raises her hand and points a shaky finger towards the bar. His viridian eyes follow her arm and land in the general direction of her finger. He squints, trying to find exactly what it is that's captured her attention, and feels his heart skip a beat when he sees it.

Without a second thought, he grabs Kairi's wrist and cuts through the couples on the dance floor at an outstanding pace.

"S-Sora!" Kairi stammers when trips on the end of another woman's dress and falls into her boss' awaiting arms.

"K-Kairi…" he mumbles, his cheeks heating up at their close proximity. Naminé merely sits back on her stool, enjoying the circumstances that the housemates have found themselves in. Sora then clears his throat and pushes Kairi upright as Riku helps her steady herself.

"What are you doing?" Sora then asks while crossing his arms at his friends with suspicion.

"We were just, uh," Kairi starts, wracking her brain for a believable answer.

"They're about to start the welcoming remarks. We came to find you so that we could all find our table together," Riku answers while effortlessly maintaining his calm, cool, and collected demeanor. "I hope we didn't interrupt your conversation with Naminé."

"No, no, it's fine," Naminé insists as she waves her left hand in front of her face. Kairi's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets and she watches her cousin's engagement ring glimmer in the purple light. She immediately grabs her hand and pulls her into a tight hug, hoping to hide the rock from Sora's line of sight.

"Hey, cuzzo!" Kairi greets with far more enthusiasm than necessary.

"Hello to you too, Kairi," the artist greets, chuckling as she pulls away from the embrace. "Wow, you look amazing."

"So do you, as usual," Kairi says with a nervous laugh. "Now, why don't you go take that amazingness to your table before dinner, hm? Wouldn't want to be late for your father's opening speech!"

Naminé raises an eyebrow at her cousin, but when she sees the desperate look in her eyes, she nods and understands.

"Right, I'll head over to my table now," the blonde-haired woman says as she hastily hops out of her seat. "Enjoy the rest of the night!"

When the artist is out of sight, Riku and Kairi sigh in relief.

"You two are acting weird," Sora notices with skittish eyes. "Did you two hook up in the bathroom when I wasn't looking?"

"No!" Riku and Kairi exclaim with reddening cheeks. After sharing a moment of awkward eye contact, the two drag an apprehensive Sora to their table, which was located just by the right side of the dance floor.

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><p>Dinner proves to be an uneventful affair.<p>

After the CEO's welcoming speech, the five-course meal, consisting of words that Kairi can hardly pronounce, is served and thoroughly enjoyed. For majority of the meal, Riku and Kairi sneak expectant looks and elbow each other, but Sora mistakes it for flirting and merely watches the two from the corner of his eye with confusion.

When dinner is over and the DJ opens the dance floor again, Sora excuses himself to go to the washroom and Selphie makes a beeline for the bar.

"I'm hopeless," Kairi concludes as she slams her head onto the table. "I don't think I can do this, Riku."

He places a reassuring hand on her shoulder and lifts her up with a small smile. "Hey, I'm just as hopeless as you are. Why don't we try being hopeless together?"

Kairi bites her bottom lip, considering it. "You mean… tell him together?"

Riku nods. "So that neither of us have to go at it alone."

Kairi feels a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips as she looks into Riku's comforting eyes. He places one of his pale hands overtop hers and squeezes to reaffirm his support. With a long sigh, Kairi nods in agreement, but when Sora returns to their table, Riku feels her stiffen under his hand.

"Sora," Riku starts, his voice stern. "We have to tell you something."

Kairi looks up at her date in disbelief. Were they actually going to go through with this?

"Sure, what is it?" Sora asks excitedly, thinking that nothing but good news could escape his friend's mouths.

Riku sends Kairi a look that says _your turn_.

Kairi gulps.

"Y-you see, ah…" Kairi mumbles, "It's about your brother…"

Sora's brows knit together in suspicion. "Did something happen to Ven or Van?"

The fact that her boss no longer considers Roxas his brother makes Kairi all the more hesitant to tell him.

"No," Riku says uneasily. "It's about Ro-"

"Sora, Riku, Kairi!" Axel exclaims without Larxene or Roxas in tow. Judging by his inability to walk in a straight line, the trio finds it reasonable to assume that the pyromaniac had been drinking. "How are you this fine evening?"

When the older man lands on Sora's lap, the brunet pinches his nose in disgust. "Dude, you reek of alcohol. Get off me."

The red-faced Axel places his hands on Sora's shoulders and pouts. "Awe, but I just want to have some fun! You, you called me your… your, uh," he hiccups, "_bro _the other day!"

Sora sends his best friend a pleading look. Riku only braces himself for what follows.

"What's the problem, Sora?" Kairi asks with her head innocently cocked to the side. "Axel just wants to play!"

Riku shakes his head at her. "No, you don't get it. Axel likes to give lap dances when he's drunk."

"Woohoo!" the older man cheers, removing his blazer while doing sensual body rolls near Sora's chest. "Someone get some H20 for this combustion reaction because it is about to get hot in here!"

The weapons specialist shoves him off without hesitation and grabs him by a spike. "Just how many drinks did you have?"

"A couple," the pyromaniac admits whilst scratching his cheek with guilt. "Selphie and I were having a… a… contest at the bar," he then confesses, struggling to breath evenly.

"Doesn't Selphie like to strip when she gets borderline tipsy?" Riku asks.

Sora merely shrugs. "Not my problem." He then begins to search through the contacts on his phone and holds the device up to his ear when he finds the one he's looking for. "Hello? Larxene? Yes, table five. Thanks, bye." The younger man lowers himself to level with the pyromaniac that is now sitting cross-legged on the edge of the dance floor. "Hear that, Axel? It's home time for you."

"What?" he asks incredulously. "But I don't want to—ahh!" he screeches as his girlfriend grabs him by the ear.

"Let's go," she orders, barely waving to the trio as she drags her boyfriend towards the exit.

"Sora, how could you?" Axel asks, feeling more and more betrayed with each passing meter placed between them. "I thought we were bros!"

"Anyways, what were you two going to tell me?" Sora asks, disregarding Axel's whines of protest. When the couple is out of sight and earshot, Riku and Kairi recollect their thoughts once again.

"We were going to tell you that… that…" Kairi stammers as she twiddles her thumbs. "That there's something you should know about Nami-"Kairi is cut short when a familiar shadow looms over the entire table.

"Sora, Riku, Kairi," greets the deep and eerie voice that could only belong to their boss.

"President Ma—Xemnas!" Sora exclaims, quick to correct himself.

"To what do we owe this special visit?" Riku asks, face impassive.

"I just came by to say how wonderful it is that you three were able to make it to tonight's event," he says, his usual smirk making its way to his lips. "And to congratulate Mr. Masamune on his offer to Radiant Garden."

Sora sends his best friend a look of confusion. "What offer?"

Riku confidently stares daggers at the President, refusing to be bullied by someone who outranks him. He is well aware that Xemnas only brought up the offer in front of Sora and Kairi knowing that they'd persuade him to take the job, but he wasn't going to let that happen. Riku knew his place, and it was in New Twilight.

"Don't worry about it, Sora," Riku says through gritted teeth. He stands to level himself with the President and sends him a stern look. "Sir, if it isn't too much trouble, could we please discuss this elsewhere?"

"Of course," Xemnas nods, acknowledging his prized employee's request. "Enjoy what else the night has to offer, Sora and Kairi," he then says, saluting to the two as he and Riku walk towards the slightly quieter hallway.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me," Sora points out with a smile, now feeling as if he had taken his assistant to the ball in the first place.

"Yeah," Kairi acknowledges with a nervous chuckle. She looks towards Riku, who appears to be mouthing the words "I'm sorry" as he turns around once again. She slaps her forehead and groans, feeling as lonely as ever.

"What do you think Mansex meant by that offer?" Sora then asks. Kairi thinks back to her conversation with Xion about Riku over a month ago.

"_Did you know he was offered the role of President twice? _Twice,_ but he turned them both down. He would have been stationed in Radiant Garden, but he stayed because he wanted to be with Sora."_

"I'm sure he meant nothing by it, Sora," Kairi says as she drills her forehead into the palm of her hand.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sora asks, his warm, tanned hand gently wrapping around her wrist to pull her hand away from her face.

"Not really," Kairi admits, seeing no point in lying to her friend more than she already has. "I just… there's something I really need to tell you."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it can wait," Sora insists. "Now come on, I think you need a live a little and drink something."

"No, Sora," Kairi refuses. "It's really important."

"No, what's more important is that you're not enjoying yourself at a party," Sora says. "Your body language suggests that what you're about to tell me is causing you a lot of stress, so you're clearly not ready yet. I'm sure that, in time, I'll understand. Don't worry. Now come on!"

Kairi's entire body goes limp as Sora grabs her by the wrist and drags her to the bar.

"Ah, Sora, I don't really drink," Kairi confesses timidly.

"Relax, I'm not going to get you shitfaced," her boss assures with a laugh. He then turns to the bartender with a grin. "She'll have a shot of strawberry elixir, and I'll have the green apple one." When the bartender returns with their orders, Sora hands Kairi her respective shot glass and clinks his glass with hers. "Bottom's up," he says, and he forcefully tips her glass over at the same time he drinks his.

When Kairi swallows her fill, she looks as if she had just sucked on a sour lemon. Then, when her taste buds learn to appreciate the taste, she smiles and nods in approval as the warm sensation spreads through her chest.

Sora chuckles. "I had a feeling you'd like that one. Bartender!" he hollers. "We'll have another!"

When the two finish their second shot, Sora takes Kairi by the wrist again and pulls her towards the dance floor. "C'mon, let's dance!"

"B-but," Kairi starts, her vision beginning to haze. "I… I need to tell you… something…" _But I… suddenly can't recall what…_

Sora smirks victoriously as the effects of the elixir kick in. Finally, Kairi could let loose and de-stress. He laces his hand with hers and joins the crowd, their bodies consistently rubbing against each other as they dance—more like jump—along to the fast paced music.

"Hey, Kairi!" Sora yells over the music. "Do you want to see how we dance in New Twilight?"

"Sure!" she yells back, randomly bursting into a fit of giggles.

Then, without warning, she feels Sora pull her back to his chest. She gasps as his hands graze the sides of her breasts ever so slightly and slither their way down to her waist. When he subtly begins to grind his hips against hers, she gets the hint and turns to the side to look him in the eye. He merely winks at her, his eyes holding a promise of seduction as a flash of red passes through them. She chuckles and places a hand on his cheek before joining the steady rhythm of his hips. She had been a university student once: she could handle this.

For quite some time, Sora and Kairi lose themselves in each other amidst the chaos on the dance floor. Sora decides that his assistant certainly knows how to work her hips and that her body feels incredibly warm pressed against his, and when Kairi feels his lips graze the back of her neck accidentally, a shiver runs down her spine as her entire body aches with pleasure. Her head immediately snaps to the side to look at him again, and for a moment, the entire world slows down as their eyes lock. Kairi's indigo orbs are hazed with lust and desire, and Sora's aren't far off.

The playboy part of Sora dares him to have a taste, but the caring part of him knows it would not only be wrong, but selfish to satisfy his needs over Kairi's. His alcohol consumption clearly had something to do with his bold behaviour (he hadn't fully recovered from the shots he had taken prior to dinner), but he wouldn't let it possess him any longer. He had to pull away, but there she was again, enticing him with her mysterious innocence and incredibly pouty lips that just looked so damn _sweet_—

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice asks when Sora feels himself being pulled to the side with his dance partner. His vision isn't completely impaired, so it doesn't take him too long to recognize the young man in front of him.

"Riku," he says, snapping out of his trance.

"Did you give Kairi something to drink?" his best friend asks accusingly as the redhead snakes her arms around her date's neck.

"Yeah, but it's not like I was going to take advantage of her or anything," Sora says defensively.

"You looked like you were getting pretty cozy on the dance floor," Riku points out with narrowed eyes. Sora isn't sure if he's disappointed or teasing him, but luckily, the sound of the DJ calling everyone's attention distracts them both.

As the DJ informs everyone that it's time for an important announcement, Kairi feels Riku's heart skip a beat beneath the palm of her hand, thus forcing her to return to reality.

"Sora," she gasps, and she looks up at Riku with a frightened expression. She berates herself for having let the alcohol take control of her system.

"Sora," Riku calls, and he has his best friend's attention almost immediately. "We have to leave."

"What? Why?" he asks. "They're about to announce something."

"Sora, please," Kairi pleads, hugging his arm in desperation.

"Why are you two so persistent? This could be important," Sora insists as he tries to listen to the CEO's final speech of the night.

"In that case, there's something you need to know," Riku says, stepping in front of his best friend to block his view. He takes a deep breath and looks straight into Sora's ocean eyes. "Roxas and Naminé are—"the sound of heavy applause and cheers fill the room, effectively cutting Riku off.

Kairi tightens her grip on Sora's arm and steals a fearful glance at the stage located just at the end of the dance floor, expecting to find Roxas and Naminé standing alongside her Uncle Noctis, but four employees of substantially older age take their place. Roxas and Naminé remain on the edge of the dance floor, clapping alongside the silhouetted forms of everybody else.

As it turns out, the announcement had been about the retirement of four cherished members of the industry, and the ball was thrown as a farewell party for their loyalty and magnificence. There was no mention of Roxas and Naminé, and on top of that, there was no mention of an engagement whatsoever. The world had bought Riku and Kairi more time. They weren't aware how much, but they were thankful for the few they were given, nonetheless.

"Aww, it's sad to see Master Eraqus and Yen Sid go," Sora says as he applauds with tears on the brim of his eyes. "Anyways," he says as he wipes his eyes dry, "what are you two so damn eager to tell me?"

Riku and Kairi share a look before smiling at their mutual friend.

"Nothing," Riku answers calmly as the DJ begins to play the final tracks of the night.

"There's just something on your lip," Kairi says, pointing her index finger at the specific spot on her housemate's face.

"Really?" Sora asks as he looks down to check. Kairi then flicks his nose and pulls back to laugh beside Riku. "Fuck you guys," Sora curses as he childishly crosses his arms. "Don't be surprised if you're missing your eyebrows in the morning."

Kairi jumps and throws her arms around both of the boys to bring their faces together. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Hey, Sora," Pence calls, running towards the trio with haste. He pauses directly in front of the man he called to catch his breath then says, "Your date is going overboard."

The photographer points at Selphie, who appears to be twerking on top of table 12 with her dress halfway down her petite body, surrounded by men cheering her on. Sora feels a drop of sweat threaten to run down his forehead as he watches the scene with embarrassment. He walks over, takes his date by the arm, and throws her over his shoulder despite the punches of protest that she slams onto his back.

"Let's go home," Sora suggests as if he didn't have a thrashing girl on his shoulder.

"Yes," Kairi says as she links arms with both of the boys. "Let's."

* * *

><p>After dropping Selphie and Riku off via cab and walking the rest of the short way home, Kairi enters her room feeling a lot better than she had when she left earlier. As she places her corsage on her work desk, she recalls the events from earlier that night with fondness. Riku had been a wonderful escort, and Sora would still be the same when she woke up in the morning.<p>

He would still have the same bright blue eyes, the same craving for Nutella crepes, and the same goofy smile that she'd learned to grow fond of overtime. Life was going to stay perfect for a little while longer.

A knock on the door suddenly distracts her from her reverie.

"Come in," she says as she begins to remove the bobby pins from her side ponytail.

Sora pokes his head through and walks in, still dressed in his suit but without the tie and blazer.

"Hey," Kairi greets as she continues to hunt for bobby pins. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to apologize for my behaviour," Sora answers, getting straight to the point as he sits on the edge of her bed. Kairi feels a familiar shot of pleasure rush through her body as she recalls the feeling of his lips against her neck.

"U-um, it's okay," she says, her knees weakening at the memory. "Alcohol does strange things to people. I'm as much to blame as you."

"Oh," Sora says as his face heats up. "I wasn't necessarily talking about _that_, but yeah, sorry for that, too."

"Oh," Kairi repeats, her cheeks turning red as well. "Then what were you apologizing for?"

Sora sighs and runs a hand through his spikes as he pats the vacant spot beside him. Kairi joins him not long after.

"I'm sorry that I didn't ask you to the ball," he confesses, and Kairi feels her heart rate increase tenfold. "I thought I didn't need to, since I've grown accustomed to the attitude of easy girls, but you're not like them at all, Kairi. You deserved to be asked, and I failed you. Sorry if it seems like I don't appreciate the things you do for me, because I do. I truly do appreciate them."

"Sora…" Kairi says softly.

"I appreciate you making sure I have something to eat before we leave every morning, I appreciate your lectures about my ties on the floor, I even appreciate you letting me have the last sea-salt ice cream bar in the box, because no matter how much you want it, you always insist that I eat it. All of these things may be small, but they mean something to me, Kairi. They tell me that you care about me, and I wanted to let you know that I…" Sora stops and rubs the back of his head before continuing. "I care about you, too, so I'm sorry."

"Aww, Sora," Kairi coos as she pulls him in for a hug. He is hesitant at first, but when he reacquaints himself with the familiar feeling of a warm embrace, he wraps his arms around Kairi's waist and pulls her close.

"That's so sweet," Kairi whispers. "You're forgiven."

"I'm also sorry that I snuck five cards into your deck when we were playing slapjack a few days ago," he mumbles into her hair.

Kairi immediately shoves her housemate off and pokes him in the chest. "I fucking knew it! You better wash the dishes for the next five days! One for each card that you snuck into my deck!"

"Did I say five? I meant four," Sora says sheepishly.

Kairi frowns at him. "Nice try."

Sora shrugs and falls back on Kairi's bed with a grin. "Hey, can't blame a guy for trying."

Something then captures the young man's attention. As a licensed weapons specialist with years of training, his senses have become acute and unfailing, and Sora swears that he sees something fall off the edge of Kairi's vanity table from the corner of his eye. He sits up and finds a small turquoise card beside him on the bed—presumably the object that had fallen earlier.

"Hey, Kairi, I think you dropped—"he cuts himself off when he sees two familiar names on the card. He didn't mean to pry, but the names are hard to miss—especially when they're in metallic silver writing.

_Mr. & Mrs. Noctis Caelum,_ he reads, _humbly request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Naminé Fleuret Caelum, to Mr. Roxas Gainsborough Fair…_

Sora's grip on the card tightens.

"Sorry, Sora. I was just trying to get a bobby pin that was stuck in my hair. What were you sayi—"Kairi freezes when she sees the object in Sora's hands. She'd forgotten that she hid it on the edge of her vanity table when Selphie walked in to help her get ready earlier that night. Her heart leaps out of her chest when she sees the hurt look on Sora's face.

"S-Sora," she starts, her voice quivering. "I can explain!"

But before she is given the chance to, a blur of black and brown streaks past her and slams the front door shut.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations: <strong>The slower song that Sora and Kairi were dancing to was _Who Do We Think We Are—John Legend_. Him and his sexy everything, man.

**I think I can predict the two words that are going through your head right now: Oh, shit. **

**Oh shit indeed! My first cliffhanger! This is so exciting, haha, and hooray for super early updates! I don't have much going on in my new home at the moment, so I thought I'd make the best out of my freedom and write away! I hope everything turned out okay. **

**When I first wrote the notes for this chapter, I didn't have much planned, but I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out! It was a lot funner to write than I thought. A lot of things in this chapter weren't even supposed to happen, like Axel getting drunk, Sora and Kairi grinding it up on the dance floor, Sora apologizing to Kairi, but those scenes entertained me and were essential for relationship development (minus Axel getting drunk lmao), so what the hell, why not right? Nam's speech wasn't supposed to be that long either, but I thought she needed some warmth to her character. **

**Special thanks to **Amulet Misty, TheNiceCritic, Wildgirl404, InnocentSerenade, ICanHazSkillz, KittyKat1217, DestinyKeyblader28 **and** Shadowred **for reviewing the last chapter at such an outstanding pace! And at **ICanHazSkillz**, since I couldn't reply to your review via PM message, I'll do it here: yes, I did reference Zuko of all people, because I'm biased and he's my childhood crush lol. Thanks to the people who favourited and/or put this story on alert, and I'm sorry for any missed or misspelled pen names!**

**I hope you enjoyed the eleventh installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review to let me know what you thought/what you'd like to see, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! It's quite short, but we'll see how it turns out. Peace!**

**PS. **I'm curious. How old do you think I am?


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Thank you for all your guesses regarding my age. Unfortunately, no one got the correct answer. Some of you were either close, or were too broad with your answers, but I appreciate the effort nonetheless! I'm eighteen years old.

Furthermore, thank you for the 100+ reviews and 5000+ hits! Wow! That really snuck up on me! Thanks for all your support, guys, and congratulations to **AyRayKay **for being the 100th reviewer!

Just a fair warning that the following chapter is more angsty than the previous ones. I usually enjoy writing happier things so this was pretty difficult (not to mention depressing) to write, but we must build a bridge and get over it to continue our journey to the happier events! Onward!

* * *

><p><strong>twelve<strong>

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of twelve._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up nine spaces._

.

.

.

Riku stares at the ceiling with his silver hair untied and sprawled all around him, unable to get his date off his mind. Try as he may, the image of her looking up at him as they made their way around the dance floor forced itself into his head, engraving the memory in his heart in the process.

He turns over and smiles into his pillow. He was acting like a lovestruck teenage girl, but he couldn't care less.

His phone suddenly starts to vibrate on the nightstand.

He groans and presses his face further into his pillow, trying to get the sound out of his head. Who in their right mind would call him at one-thirty in the morning? He waits for the vibrating to stop, and when it finally does, it starts up again not a moment later. Riku sighs in exasperation as he grabs the device off the nightstand with irritation.

"Who the hell—"he starts, but his eyes widen at the name flashing onscreen. He answers it immediately. "Hello?"

"Riku!" Kairi exclaims, obviously in distress. "I'm so sorry to interrupt you at this time but—oh, I'm so glad I got a hold of you!"

He shoots up from his bed at her tone. "What's wrong?"

"It's Sora!" she says breathlessly, and that's all it takes for him to get up and throw on a pair of jeans. "H-he found the wedding invitation on my vanity table a-and he just ran off without saying anything and I don't know where he went!"

"Where did you last see him?" Riku asks as he pulls on a black shirt.

"I chased him down Sunset Street but I lost him after that," Kairi informs, her voice quivering as if she were near tears. Riku places a hand on his chin and thinks, a map of the city already formulating itself in his head. He snaps his fingers when he finds the answer.

"7th Heaven," he tells Kairi as he walks out of his room and into the hallway. All his lights are already off, but he knows his apartment like the back of his hand.

"Pardon?" Kairi asks, clearly confused.

"It's a bar on the corner of Sunset Street and Station Heights," Riku informs as he grabs his keys and wallet off the coffee table in his living room. "I'll meet you there in ten minutes. See you soon."

"All right," Kairi says before she ends the call, hoping for the best.

* * *

><p>Sora had been drunk a total of three times in his life.<p>

The first was when he had a drinking contest with Riku in their second year of university.

The second was when he saw his ex-girlfriend in the arms of another man.

The third was tonight.

As he downs his sixth shot (in addition to the ones he had taken at the party), he hears a few wolf-whistles being thrown across the bar. Sora smirks into his glass. The bartender, a slender and rather large-breasted friend of his named Tifa, could handle these chumps no problem.

But it wasn't Tifa.

Some girl was shaking him by the shoulders, and the first thing he notices about her is the blur of red that surrounds her. As his vision begins to clear, he realizes that it's her hair, and he decides at that moment that he quite likes her hair. It reminds him of red velvet cupcakes, and he loves red velvet cupcakes.

Her eyes are the next things to come into view. They're the oddest mixture of blue and purple, but he enjoys the combination and thinks that they hold a sense of adventure within them. Then, when her entire being comes into view, he finds himself at a loss for words.

Was he looking at an angel, or what?

He shakes his head at the possibility. This angel had a worried expression etched onto her face. Smiles would suit her much better.

"Sora!" the angel screams through tear-filled eyes. Sora blinks twice. The angel appears to know his name. "Sora, it's me, Kairi!"

"Kairi," he slurs, his eyes half-lidded and watery. It takes a while for him to make the connection. Kairi was the name that belonged to his housemate, his assistant, and his friend. What was she doing here?

He gets his answer when she slaps the shot glass out of his hands. At first he thinks that it's the physical shattering of his heart that he hears, but the numerous glass pieces on the floor beg to differ.

He furrows his brows in confusion. "Wh… what'd you that for?"

"Stop drinking yourself into oblivion!" Kairi cries. "It's embarrassing!"

Sora ignores her and picks up another glass. His housemate immediately grabs him by the wrist and forces him to look her in the eye.

"Stop it!" she yells, hoping that her increase in volume will somehow knock some sense into a deeper part of him. "This isn't like you, Sora! Please don't run away and face this!"

"How could you possibly say that?" he asks darkly, his eyes glazed with a coat of bitterness. "You ran away from your problems—that's why you ended up in this hellhole with me."

The words sting like a paper cut within.

"You're right, Sora," Kairi says, finding it difficult to find strength in her words. "But… I am sorry about this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I should've given you hints, or eased it in somehow—"

"Save it," he says, but his words aren't as sharp as before. He now speaks with a blunt blade, weaker than ever. "It doesn't matter anymore. It's not going to change anything."

"Sora," she calls softly, but there's nothing left for her to say. He was correct in assuming that nothing could change the words on that small, turquoise card. They would always be there, engraved in cursive silver lettering.

She slumps her shoulders in defeat. Gone was the boy with the goofy smile and optimistic demeanor. In its place was a numb, bitter human being with eyes that no longer had the smallest trace of hope. He'd wake up in the morning and send her away like she was nothing more than the girls he used to bring home, and she'd have to move back to Destiny Islands to forget about the horrible person that she'd been. New Twilight would be haunted for her, and their friendship would have been nothing more than two subway trains crossing paths and heading for different stations, never to come across each other again.

"Get up."

Kairi gasps and turns around. Riku stands before her with his fists clenched and a disgusted look on his face. He walks—more like stomps—his way to his best friend and, as fast as lightning, grabs the shot from his hands and pushes the tray away from his reach.

"This is incredibly childish of you," Riku scolds as he grabs Sora by the arm and hauls him upward. The younger man can hardly see, let alone stand properly.

"You…" Sora slurs, "You have girly hair."

Riku rolls his eyes and slaps the proper amount of munny onto the bar. "He's had enough, Tifa."

The young woman behind the bar nods and accepts the cash without question.

"H-hey!" Sora hiccups. "You can't d-do that!"

"I can, and I just did. Now come on, we're going home," Riku demands sternly.

Sora forcefully pulls his arm away and fishes his pockets for his phone.

"What's he doing?" Kairi asks fearfully, hiding behind Riku for safety. The older man merely sighs and attempts to take the phone from Sora's hands, but the brunet is persistent and skillfully evades Riku's thrashing arms.

"Hello?" asks a groggy, but surprised voice on the other line. "Sora?"

Kairi's eyes widen when she recognizes the all too familiar voice. Roxas.

"You…" Sora growls. "You're an _asshole_, you know that?" he screeches, capturing the attention of everyone at the bar.

Riku finally confiscates the device and hides it in his own pockets. Angered, Sora readies his fist for a punch but Riku quickly swivels to the side to dodge the hit and smacks the back of Sora's neck, effectively knocking him out for the time being. Kairi covers her mouth with her hands as Riku throws his best friend over his shoulder.

"Hail a cab," the older man orders, and Kairi, shaken, walks outside to obey his command.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Riku and Kairi, alongside Roxas, Naminé, and Xion, sit in the living room of Sora's apartment, deciding their next move amidst the silence. Contrary to the circumstances, sunlight begins to seep in through the windows, and it's a beautiful day outside.<p>

Roxas is the first to speak up.

"Maybe Nams and I should postpone the wedding," he suggests, his voice dry and his eyes drained of all its previous vibrancy. Naminé, who sits cross-legged beside him, merely closes her eyes and says nothing to protest against her fiancé's suggestion.

"Don't," Kairi pleads from the couch directly across from him.

"What choice do we have?" Roxas asks, his voice quivering. "It's clear that we're not going to receive his blessing any time soon, and as much as I love Naminé, I can't marry her knowing that someone out there is miserable because of our marriage—especially since that someone is my own brother."

Kairi falls back into her seat, deflated and corrected. "I'm… I'm sorry it had to come to this," she whimpers. "This was my fault. You asked me to ease it in, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it…"

"This isn't your fault, Kairi," Naminé assures softly. "It would have been difficult for any of us." As Roxas laces his hands with his fiancée, Xion, who has been fidgety for the last five minutes, excuses herself and walks towards Sora's room to check on him.

Roxas sighs and glances at his watch. "Nams and I need to head out, too. We've got work in a few hours, and all hell's going to break loose if Sora wakes up and finds us here. I wish you all the best with my brother, and if there's anything you guys need, anything at all, don't hesitate to give us a call." Riku nods in gratitude and understanding.

"And don't worry about postponing your wedding," Kairi says, trying to sound optimistic when she opens the door for them. "We're going to try and fix this, I promise."

Roxas only smiles, but Kairi knows it's forced. Naminé leans in for a quick hug, and when Kairi shuts the door behind the retreating couple, silence fills the apartment again.

Riku catches the look of uncertainty on Kairi's face and doesn't hesitate to outstretch his arms towards her. She runs into them immediately and wraps her arms around his waist. She rests her head on his chest and listens to his heartbeat, realizing that it's almost as fast as her own.

"It really isn't your fault," he whispers into her hair. "He had to find out sometime. Better now than never. Had we done it one week or one month from now, it wouldn't have changed the outcome."

"I know," Kairi says, her voice muffled because of Riku's shirt. She stays and accepts his embrace for a little while longer, content with the fact that she's not alone in the mess that was made, and pulls away only when Xion calls them.

"Guys," she says while leaning against Sora's door. "He's awake."

The three of them shuffle into Sora's room and stand by his bedside, waiting for him to make a move.

"Ugh," he groans, sitting up with much difficulty. He squints when the sunlight hits the side of his face. He has been acquainted with this feeling twice in the past, and there's no mistaking it. A terrible headache and a strong distaste for sunlight meant only one thing: a hangover.

"Please don't tell me I have a tattoo on my ass," he says groggily, reaching for the bottle of hi-potion placed on his nightstand.

"No, it's on your left nipple," Riku answers, trying to lighten the mood. Sora chuckles halfheartedly as he downs the hi-potion in one sitting.

"Did I hurt anybody?" the young man then asks, staring at his shaking hands regretfully.

"No, Riku knocked you out before you could," Xion informs, her face void of all emotion.

Sora runs a hand through his hair then semi-hides his eyes with it when he looks in his assistant's direction. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"It was a little frightening, seeing you as someone else," Kairi admits, "but I'll live."

Sora rubs his eyes then turns to look at Xion. "So that day when I was incredibly bored, and you told me you were too busy writing to hang out, you were actually—"

"—moping," Xion finishes with a nod. "I ate my way out through four tubs of chocolate brownie explosion until Yuffie cut me off."

"Diabetes, meet Xion Kisaragi," Sora jokes, but his laugh is weak, much like his entire body.

"Xi, it's seven-thirty," Riku then informs, and Xion nods in understanding. She grabs her purse from the corner of Sora's room and bids everyone farewell (Sora with a supportive kiss on the forehead) before going off to meet with her publisher. Silence fills the room again until Sora decides to speak up.

"What day is it today?" he asks, his voice still raspy from sleep.

"Monday," Kairi answers.

Sora groans. "And it's already seven-thirty? Crap, we need to get ready for work—"

"I already made arrangements," Riku interrupts. "You and Kairi have the entire week off, and I'm going in at noon today. I told the President that it was personal."

"But—"Sora starts.

"No buts," Riku orders.

Sora's arms go limp and fall to the pillows on his sides. "You didn't need to do that."

"Yes, I did," Riku insists. "You won't be able to focus at work, anyway. You'll only slow us down."

Sora throws his head back and stares at the ceiling, knowing that his best friend is, once again, correct.

"Listen," Riku starts, "We're sorry we couldn't tell you sooner, Sora. It was just—"

"You don't need to apologize," Sora interrupts, looking off into the distance. "I understand why you guys couldn't do it. Truth be told, I would've done the same thing. I'll admit that I'm pretty ticked that you hid it for this long, but I promised Kairi that, in time, I'd understand what she tried to tell me last night. So here I am, trying to understand."

Kairi blinks twice in surprise. This isn't the same boy that couldn't be reasoned with at the bar last night. This young man is clearly broken, but at least open minded, and the thought gives her hope for new possibilities.

Sora inhales sharply, and after some thought, he looks at Riku with a sad smile. "Hey, Riku." The older man gives him his attention almost immediately. "Thank you… for taking care of me again." Riku merely nods in acknowledgment. "But," Sora continues, "if it isn't too much trouble… could you leave me alone with Kairi for a while?"

Riku remains still for a bit, then nods in understanding. He wordlessly bids them both farewell, and after giving Kairi a bold kiss on the cheek, he walks out of the door with calm strides.

Back in Sora's room, Kairi places a shaky hand on her cheek where Riku's kiss still lingered. The feeling of his soft lips against her skin is still fresh in her mind and she turns red at the memory, causing Sora to chuckle.

"You look like shit," he then says as he rests his head against the headboard.

Kairi looks down at her attire and finds her dress from last night muddied and tattered at the ends, thus downgrading its previous beauty. Her hair cascaded down to her shoulders in a frizzy red mess, and tear tracks mixed with mascara ran down her cheeks. But regardless of it all, Kairi smiles, because she had earned this look through helping a friend in need.

"I suppose I do, don't I?" she agrees as she sits on the edge of his bed.

"I'm sorry if I said anything out of line yesterday," Sora apologizes. "I do a lot of stupid things when I'm drunk."

Kairi twitches when she remembers a particular moment from last night.

"_How could you possibly say that?" he asks darkly, his eyes glazed with a coat of bitterness. "You ran away from your problems—that's why you ended up in this hellhole with me." _

She shakes her head at the recollection and focuses on the young man in front of her. "Look, Sora, I know it may not change anything, but I really am sorry that I didn't warn you sooner. Someone had to tell you, and that someone should have been me. I'm… I'm the new girl—the expendable one," Kairi admits while twiddling her thumbs.

"Don't…" Sora starts with a pained expression. "Don't say that. Don't ever think like that. You're not expendable to me, you're important." He then clenches his fists, angered that she would even think such a thing. "You matter, and I care about you, remember?"

He had thought of what his mornings would be like if Kairi wasn't there, and he had come to the conclusion that he didn't like the image. She had become a part of his life that he had grown accustomed to and didn't want to live without, because without Kairi, very few things in his life would be consistent or worth looking forward to.

"You matter to me, too, Sora," Kairi whispers. "But I'll understand if you can't bear to be around me anymore. I would find it difficult to trust myself again, too."

Sora takes her hand in his and clasps it tightly, recalling Naminé's words from the ball.

"_And, to a certain extent, I know you can relate to Kairi, too. That's why I sent her to live with you. You, above everyone else, can understand how she feels, how she works. You're just what she needs, and you need her, too."_

"I'm not going to shut you out, Kairi," Sora assures with opened eyes. "Not when I need you."

Kairi's heart skips a beat at his confession. Half a year ago, she never would have imagined those words to come out of Sora's mouth—in fact, she never expected any words to come out of his mouth at all. Now, he wanted her to stay, because he needed her, and she needed him more than she'd care to admit.

It was him who gave her a home and eventually made her feel welcome in said home, it was him who got her through the day with his crooked, goofy smiles, it was him who funded her boost in confidence, it was him who landed her the job in Caelum Industries, it was him who made her dream of traveling a reality, and it was him who gave her hope that she could one day make it in the big city. He was, in every aspect, her hero of sorts.

"It started on the sixteenth of April two years ago," he suddenly says, and Kairi looks up at her housemate with questioning eyes. With his eyes shut, he pats the vacant spot beside him on his king sized bed. For Kairi, this silent and simple gesture speaks volumes. It is Sora's way of opening up to her and, despite the risks, letting her in entirely.

For a moment the only thing that can be heard is the rustling of Sora's bed sheets, but for once, they weren't being used to conceal something dirty. When Kairi's bare shoulder touches his, he continues his story.

"It was the happiest day of my life," he continues, a smile gracing his lips as he recalls the memory. "I took Naminé, my girlfriend of three years at the time, out for dinner to her favourite restaurant. It was the kind where you could make doodles on the paper tablecloth with crayons, and she loved making little doodles on the corner of our table. She was always such a great artist, you know. Always so skilled, so passionate…"

Realizing that his breathing was starting to get uneven, Kairi reaches for his right hand under the covers and laces it with her left. She squeezes it to assure him of her presence, and he squeezes back in acknowledgment as he loses himself in the moments of two years ago.

* * *

><p>"That looks nothing like me," Naminé claims when her boyfriend shows off his artwork on his end of the table.<p>

"What? It totally is," Sora insists as he looks back and forth between his girlfriend and his amateur crayon sketch.

"Why do I have claws?" Naminé asks, biting back her laughter as she pokes at her salad.

"Those are your _hands_," Sora explains through a mouth full of pasta.

"And what's that sticking out of my head? It looks like someone stabbed me with a knife," she continues, sitting back in her seat with an amused expression as she watches Sora squirm under her critical eye for detail.

"It's those strands of hair that you keep complaining about at the end of your bangs!" he cries, but Naminé only continues to laugh. "You try drawing something better with crayons!" Sora whines, throwing the pack of colouring utensils at his girlfriend.

The rest of Sora's meal passes in silence as he watches Naminé concentrate on her drawing. She would occasionally glance up at him for reference then return to her sketch, all the while hiding it with her sleeve. He sighs in delight as he watches her work away at the tablecloth with her skilled fingers.

He recalls seeing the same scene in the empty hallways of their high school, under the trees of their university campus, and on his living room couch. He had memorized every quirk about her whenever she sketched, like the slight sticking out of her tongue when she couldn't get someone's hair right and the narrowing of her eyes when she struggled to perfect the finer details of her drawing.

He loved and accepted all this about her, and she was all his, down to her soft little fingertips that touched his before they laced their hands together. He smiles dreamily when he recalls the feeling of her warm hand in his. He was never going to get tired of this woman.

"Done," she says, removing her arm to reveal her drawing.

All Sora can say is "whoa".

Although she only used the six colours that were made available to her in the pack, Naminé managed to draw him exactly. It is undoubtedly him staring back with big, adventurous blue eyes and a crooked, goofy grin. The thing about Naminé's art was that it could effortlessly capture the essence of a person, and she had definitely captured his playful and muddled demeanor with the messy, but recognizable strokes that she decided to use.

"Beat that," she challenges with a wink.

Sora sits still for a few moments, gathering his thoughts before going through with his plan. After taking a deep breath, he opens his eyes with a warm smile.

"You know what?" he says as he takes a small box from his pocket and slides it over to his wide-eyed girlfriend. "I think I can."

He scribbles only two words in blue crayon.

_Marry me._

* * *

><p>Kairi's lips part slightly as Sora swallows a big lump in his throat. "I got down on one knee and everything, because back then, I was, if anything, traditional, and a hopeless romantic at that. She said yes, but I saw a flash of uncertainty in her eyes. I didn't pay too much mind to it, because all I could focus on was the fact that the love of my life just agreed to spend the rest of her life with me, but I should have paid attention, I really should have…" Sora regretfully confesses.<p>

"Sora," Kairi calls softly, soothingly massaging his hand with her thumb. "You don't have to keep going."

Sora shakes his head as tears threaten to fall from his eyes. "No, it's about time you found out. A-Anyways, one week later, when I was on my way to her studio to surprise her with a bouquet of roses during our lunch break, I caught her playing with the ring in her hands."

* * *

><p>Sora whistles tunelessly to himself as he walks down the hallway of the twenty-fifth floor, passing by the secretary's desk with a bouquet of roses in hand.<p>

"Roses?" Larxene snickers, not even bothering to look up from her computer screen. "Can you get any lamer?"

"Oh, Larxene, give him a break," Axel says as he walks by and leans against his girlfriend's work desk. "The boy's in _loooove_," the pyromaniac teases in a singsong voice. As Sora rolls his eyes, his best friend steps out of the elevator doors with a questioning look on his face.

"Roses?" Riku asks with raised eyebrows. "Can you get any lamer?"

Larxene and Axel burst out laughing.

"I hope you all step on a lego and get hit by a cactus," Sora mutters darkly as he enters the elevator. He can still hear the maniacal laughter of his friends even as he approaches the twenty-third floor.

When he gets out, he walks—more like skips—to the end of the hallway on the west wing where he knows he will find fiancée hard at work. He giggles childishly at the word _fiancée_. He's never going to get used to it.

"Roses?" Pence asks when he accidentally bumps into Sora in the hallway. "Can you—"

"Say one more word and I will personally rip out your testicles," Sora threatens. The photographer backs up with hands raised in surrender and allows the brunet to pass without another word.

Finally, after what seems like ages, Sora approaches the door to Naminé's studio and raises his hand to knock, only to find that the door is slightly open. He cocks his head to the side in suspicion. She rarely leaves it open unless she has a visitor.

He peeks through the small space provided to check if she's busy, but instead he sees her sitting in the middle of the room—alone. In her hands, he sees her toying with the engagement ring that he'd given her a week ago. Sora smiles, thinking that she'd been admiring the piece of jewelry until he catches sight of her shoulders. They move subtly but unevenly, and it's enough to let Sora know that she's crying.

He tightens the grip on the bouquet in his left hand and is about to push the door open until someone joins her. A young man kneels in front of her and closes the hand that holds her engagement ring. He whispers something to her and kisses her hand affectionately.

Sora nearly gasps when he recognizes the young man to be his own twin brother, Roxas. He can hear his heart beating in his ears and can feel his blood boiling beneath his skin. What was his _brother_—the same brother that he shared every experience with since the _womb_—doing with his fiancée?

Naminé mumbles something incoherent to his twin, and he merely nods in understanding before standing up to cup her face in his hands. Sora holds his breath and wants to close his eyes, but he can't. He watches as his own kin leans down to kiss his fiancée firmly on the lips, desperately and fervently, and Naminé returns it with equal fervor. The ring slips from her hands and falls to the floor with a loud _clang_ and lays forgotten for quite some time.

Years of bike riding and talks on the clock tower with Roxas become meaningless in an instant—and outside, Sora stands, thinking that stealing the last cookie in the jar was the foulest of Roxas' betrayals.

He watches, paralyzed as his brother touches his fiancée where only he has touched her—but it suddenly occurs to Sora that maybe Roxas had already touched her in that way without him knowing before. The possibility makes him sick. He drops the bouquet and just runs, each step distancing himself from his brother both physically and emotionally.

* * *

><p>Kairi gasps when Sora slams his fist into the wall. A few things fall from his nightstand and dresser, and the tears fall freely from his eyes.<p>

"I knew it, too," Sora admits, his voice shaky. "Those two have been inseparable since high school. It was only a matter of time before they got together, but when I got the girl, I thought that I had finally beaten my brother at something. You see, Kairi, Roxas was always the better twin," Sora explains in between sniffles. "We grew up together and apart from Riku, he was my closest friend, but he was always the smart one. He was the one who was always at the top of the class, the one who was always more sure of himself, the one who became a successful keyblade engineer—hell, he even _walked_ first. All this motivated me to try harder, of course, but in the end I was just the goofball brother that was good at sports."

"That's not true, Sora," Kairi assures as she rubs his bare arm supportively.

"Oh, but it is," Sora insists. "That's why I asked Naminé to marry me. I thought she was going to leave me because I sensed something going on between them, so I rushed the proposal. I was fairly young, and I had a very childish mindset. I was in love with the idea of love—the idea of happily ever after and having someone to hold hands with in the sunset, but that was my problem. I was so focused on the clichés that love implied that I didn't focus on how Naminé felt at the time."

"What..." Kairi starts. "What happened? After you saw them in her office?"

"I caught them walking out when I entered the elevator," Sora answers as he wipes his tears with the back of his hand. "They picked the bouquet off the floor, and when Naminé realized that the flowers were from me, a look of relief passed through her face before she began to panic. Fucking _relief_. Relief that I finally knew, and that she wouldn't have to go through the hardship of telling me herself. Relief!" Sora screams incredulously.

"I got drunk that night and Riku had to haul my ass up here, much like he did today," Sora continues when Kairi remains silent. "After a few weeks, I finally decided to let Naminé talk to me. She claimed that she still cared about me and apologized that she kept her feelings for my brother a secret, but had I proposed years later, she said that she couldn't marry me, anyway. She wouldn't be giving me her all, she said. It was unfair to me, she said. She's always had hidden feelings for Roxas, she said. She thought she could grow to love me as her number one in time, she said, but she couldn't," Sora says as he chokes back a sob. "The entire time she was with me, she had someone else in mind. I treated her like my number one, but I was always second place in her heart."

Kairi feels tears of her own threatening to spill from her eyes as she watches her boss crumble beneath her fingers. She could see her cousin being that kind of person. Although she was nice, she had a tendency to be insensitive at times.

"I dated Xion for a bit after that," Sora confesses, and Kairi's eyes grow wide at the news. Perhaps that's why Xion's book felt so familiar and personal to her. The love interests were based off of people they both knew.

"She was dating Roxas beforehand," Sora explains, "and he basically told her the same thing: that he couldn't be with her because she was also second place. He really said that he was being unfair and that she deserved someone better, but no matter how much you sugarcoat it, it still hurts the same. We both understood each other and found comfort in each other's arms for a while, but we eventually realized that we were dating only because we felt lonely and broke it off after that. We became what you see before your eyes now, and I became the skirt-chaser you met half a year ago about a month after Xion and I broke up." Sora then sighs and loosens his grip on Kairi's hand.

"My evasive attitude towards women was a defense mechanism to prevent me from getting hurt again, but to this day, I still can't get over the way Naminé looks when she loses herself in her sketchbook. Not a single day goes by without me thinking about how she sticks her tongue out or narrows her eyes. It's always there, in my head. That's why I avoided you for the first few months," Sora admits. "You looked just like her, but I let you in because I thought that she'd eventually want me back if I gave you a place to stay, but only now do I truly see that that isn't possible. Besides, something happened along the way."

Sora turns his head to face Kairi and grins—truly grins—for the first time that morning.

"I befriended you out of my own free will, and I haven't regretted it since," he announces, and the tears that threatened to spill from Kairi's eyes break free like a broken dam. She pulls him into a tight embrace, his cold, bare chest squished against her warm, clothed one. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer as he shamelessly cries into her shoulder, letting it all out.

"Oh, Sora," she cries into his ear. "You're so much more than what you claim to be in comparison to your brother. He may be more academically inclined, but you have talents that I'm sure he doesn't possess. I've seen you move crowds with your voice alone. You have a gift with words and with people, Sora, and anyone who is lucky enough to be cared by you will have their days brightened and their smiles widened."

Sora buries his face into the crook of her neck, shaking under her embrace.

"I know you still love Naminé," she whispers as she soothingly rubs circles on his back, "but if you truly want to make her happy, you'll have to find it in your heart to forgive your brother. He loves you, Sora, and he doesn't seem like the kind of person that would hurt you intentionally. I know forgiveness doesn't seem possible right now, and the road ahead won't be easy, but it's the one happiness you can give the girl you love. I know it's upsetting to realize that you aren't the one for her, but if you do this, I can guarantee you that you'll be able to move on and find peace again. Do you remember starting over with me?"

Sora nods, recalling the moment with great clarity and the feeling that came with it. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he could be himself around Kairi knowing that his father would be watching him from afar with a proud smile on his face.

But the image of his brother pressing his lips against Naminé's comes back and the pain in his heart increases tenfold.

"I don't know if I can do this," Sora stammers through shaky breaths.

"Alone? No," Kairi admits, a small smile gracing her lips. "You do a lot of damage when you're left to your own devices. You're completely hopeless without Riku or Xion around."

"And you," Sora reminds. "I couldn't even walk in my office without you."

Kairi chuckles and runs a soft hand through Sora's hair.

"And me, too," she agrees.

After grazing her lips over his forehead affectionately, Kairi pulls them apart to look Sora in the eye. She gives him a warm smile, and he attempts to return a pathetic one in return.

"Sora, I've had my heart broken tons of times," Kairi says. "I was too nice for my own good, so it's easy for someone to walk all over me, but you gave me the confidence to know what's good for me. No, I don't agree that love is a game. It's not that easy, and you won't always win, but that's the point. It's risky and things don't automatically fall into place like they should, but that's what makes it so valuable in the end; however, you were right in saying that I should love myself first before loving another. You helped me become a better version of myself, and now I'm going to help you."

"Help me?" Sora asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Kairi says with a determined nod. "I'm going to help you move on."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>So the past is finally revealed! It may just be me since I wrote it, but I found it predictable. Did you see this coming? The flashbacks also lacked some detail and personality to me, but I'm not going to bother going through that again because, in the long run, our main focus is Sora and Kairi here. Screw Roxas and Naminé (lol just kidding they're pretty important). I also apologize if the timeline of events was a little messy. I first wrote this chapter with Sora reciting every single event, but I decided against it and added the flashbacks because there was way too much dialogue in this chapter in my opinion.<strong>

**I've recently changed the order of events in my outline, so I suppose you're in for a real treat in the next chapter! The fluff awaits. **

**Special thanks to **It's My Lucky Charm, Sookdeo, Shadowred, AyRayKay, thelonesomeartist, mOOnlite-duskk, li'miss sunshine, Guest, ICanHazSkillz, KittyKat1217, DestinyKeyblader28, Wildgirl404, cutekitty5597, **and** Amulet Misty **for reviewing the last chapter, and thank you to those who have favourited this story and/or put it on their alert list! I apologize for any misspelled or missed pen names.**

**I hope you enjoyed the twelfth installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! **

**PS. **I didn't think I'd get such a positive reaction when I decided to put Riku's hair in a low ponytail in the last chapter. You guys are hilarious.


	13. Chapter 13

**thirteen**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of thirteen._

_Ladder._

_Move up four more spaces._

.

.

.

Sora had been struck by lightning once.

It was when he was twenty-one, fresh out of university, and a new employee at Caelum Industries. He had let his guard down in the training room for a split second and was attacked by a heartless that sensed his carelessness. As the lightning coursed through his veins, he could hear Riku shouting in the background, but he was in a place where only the ecstasy of death could soothe his pain.

Simulations meant that no physical damage would be apparent on their bodies, but the amount of pain that they felt was proportional to the power of the attack. He had fainted due to shock, but he was rather quick to dismiss his fear of simulations—being a weapons specialist did have its risks, after all, and he had to understand that. However, he did develop a slight fear of lightning.

Now, in the present, he realizes that the lightning was nothing in comparison to what he felt now. He'd take lightning over heartbreak any day.

Physically, he had been left unscathed, but emotionally, Naminé had scarred him for life. The pain and stress that his heart experienced came in relentless waves, the next one more painful than the previous.

Knowing that she was out there in the arms of his brother, having absolutely no intentions of getting back with her miserable ex-boyfriend at all, was worth about five lightning strikes. She was now unavailable, unreachable, and unattainable—the ring on her finger could attest to that. The gold band was a physical manifestation of the word 'forever', and she wore it with pride and certainty—something she never wore his ring with, and the memory of it dropping to the floor with a loud _clang_ brings on another wave of pain to his chest.

"Sora," he hears Kairi say, but the beating of his heart is much louder than her voice. It gets quicker and quicker and harder and harder as he recalls every sight and touch of Naminé that he's catalogued into his heart and mind, and then…

A hand.

"Sora," Kairi calls again as she shakes him lightly.

He snaps out of his dramatic reverie and slowly assembles the image of his housemate before him. She wears the same look of concern on her face and places a tray of freshly made food on his lap, just as she does every day. She sits on the edge of his bed and stares into his soul, and just as he thinks that she's about to offer him some insightful advice about his condition, she flicks his forehead with an annoyed expression.

"Ow!" he yelps.

"Sora, you need to stop being a little bitch and get the fuck up," Kairi openly states, her face void of any signs of her previous concern.

Sora then decides that subtly certainly isn't one of Kairi's fortes.

"Don't be so cruel, Kairi. Give me a break," Sora pleads while massaging his—now—aching forehead.

"I've given you three days worth of breaks, you lazy bum," Kairi reminds as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Now eat up."

With suspicion, Sora raises the silver dome-like lid off his platter and finds a set of paintbrushes where his food should be. He also notices that his cup is nearly filled to the rim with white paint.

"Well," he says as he stares at his entrée with confusion. "I'm certainly glad that you're considering 'death' as an option for me now." He eyes the paint in particular.

"No, you ignoramus. We're going to paint the living room," his assistant announces proudly. Sora rubs his eyes and emits a yawn from his previous nap.

"Why?" he asks, clearly uninterested.

"Because Naminé painted a mural there, and we're going to paint over it," Kairi answers with nonchalance. Sora's eyes grow wide. If he recalled correctly, Naminé had worked fairly hard on that mural.

"What? No," he says whilst shaking his head vigorously. "No, no, no."

Just as he's about to fall back on his bed, content with the prospect of thinking about his unattainable ex-girlfriend with depressing music in the background, Kairi grabs his arm and forces him to return to reality. "See, Sora? This is your problem. How can you move on if you're not willing to in the first place? You surround yourself with things that she's made, which consistently pushes memories of her into your head. It's time to take all of it down and start anew."

"You want me to throw away her paintings?" Sora asks, openly gaping at his housemate.

"No," Kairi answers. "I want you to find a better place for them. For now, start small. Baby steps. We can put them in the back of the closet of the workout room or something. Just keep them out of your sight. I've already put all her artwork from the living room and second floor hallway into boxes. Now all we have to do is paint over that mural."

"That sounds like so much work," Sora whines. "Why can't we just spend today like we've spent every other day? We can have brunch in bed and play chess again," Sora offers. "Why can't we do that? I'll stop letting you win."

"Okay, first of all, I won those games with pure intellect alone, and second, we're doing this because we're trying to prove that you're more than the boy that she cheated on, Sora," Kairi answers swiftly. "Now live like it. You don't need to be reminded of a woman that had no problem putting your past where it should be—behind. Now come on," Kairi says, pulling on his arm. With a groan, Sora allows his housemate to drag him from his bed and into the living room.

Kairi has it all set up down there: a vast array of paintbrushes stacked together on the coffee table, buckets of paint lined up against the wall, dozens of newspapers sprawled all over the floor, the works.

On the far side of their living room, Naminé had painted a large (not to mention detailed) black birdcage on the plain, white wall without exposed brick. The white wall took up two whole storeys, but the painting itself took up maybe one and a half. Nothing a ladder couldn't fix, but it would still take numerous layers of white to cover the thick coats of black completely.

"The cage looks nice, but overall it just looks depressing, doesn't it?" Kairi asks as she and Sora attempt to understand the hidden meaning behind the painting.

Inside the vintage birdcage was a lone bird, trapped and unable to escape. Sora stares at it with skittish eyes, finally understanding that the bird was Naminé herself, because her art was always an expression of herself somehow. At first he just thought that the mural added character to the place, but Kairi was right. Now that he was no longer ignorant, the meaning behind it was just downright depressing.

"I think it's time we set this bird free, don't you?" Kairi asks. Sora sighs as he runs a hand over the bird, petting it with care and affection.

At that very moment, Naminé was probably painting something with a much happier message while Roxas ran a hand up and down her back. She would probably laugh into his touch, and the instant she'd turn her head to the side, he'd place a kiss on her shoulder. She'd blush, because the idea of intimacy has always embarrassed her, but Sora guarantees that he wouldn't even cross her mind when Roxas leans down to plant one on her lips.

Sora's hand falls from the bird to his side.

Kairi was right. He shouldn't be standing there, pining for some girl that gave absolutely no fucks about him in a romantic way. It would be a waste of time—time that he could use to soothe his scars rather than feed them. Slowly but surely, he should start taking care of himself, and he would start by setting the bird free from her cage, because she had to fly some time, and that time was now.

"Okay," Sora says as he reaches for the largest brush in the set. "Let's do this."

Two hours later, the two find themselves finishing off the first storey without much difficulty. There is barely any trace of the cage underneath, and with each stroke, Sora admittedly feels a little bit lighter. The cage no longer gives him a sense of claustrophobia, and being out of the confines of his room was certainly refreshing.

Moments later, Sora leans against the ladder that he had opened earlier and finishes the last of his paopu juice with a satisfied sigh.

"Are you okay up there, Kairi?" he then asks. He watches with amusement as she tries to paint over a bar that she can hardly reach.

"Yeah!" Kairi answers in between grunts of frustration. "I… I just need to… ugh, reach!"

Sora quickly sets his glass down on the coffee table and makes his way back to her with an anxious expression. "Don't get on your tippy toes and jump so much. You're going to lose balance."

Kairi scoffs and continues to do exactly what Sora told her _not_ to do.

"Lose balance!" she repeats incredulously. "As if! I can totally—whoa!"

Sora rushes over to her and readies himself to catch her. The ladder wobbles beneath her for a few seconds, but she straightens herself and looks down at him with a smug grin when she regains her balance.

"Ha!" she exclaims proudly. "I told you I wouldn't—"

Without warning, Kairi loses her footing and stumbles off the ladder. She shrieks in fear but finds herself safe in Sora's arms not a second later, her heart threatening to bounce out of her chest.

"Phew," she says as her hand flies to her forehead in relief. "Thanks, that was really—"Kairi cuts herself off when her eyes land on her boss' face. "Close…" she finishes distantly.

A few seconds of silence pass until she bursts out laughing at the sight of him. As it turns out, her paintbrush had brushed against the side of Sora's face when she fell, and now half his face was white.

"Oh my gosh," she says in between wheezes. "I'm so sorry."

"I can sense your sincerity," Sora says, his voice laced with sarcasm as he lets her down. "You think that's funny?"

"What? No," Kairi replies, but she is unable to contain her laughter when she throws her head back. When her chuckles die down, she wipes the tears from her eyes and freezes when she sees Sora with a newly opened bucket of pink paint in hand. He smirks at her deviously as he brings the bucket up to level with his chest.

His housemate raises her hands as if trying to calm an overactive horse. "Now, now, Sora. We shouldn't succumb to this corny chick flick moment. This is extremely cheesy and overdone, don't you think?"

Sora merely shrugs. "Perhaps, but maybe there's a reason behind why it's worth repeating. Let's find out, shall we?"

"You know what, now that I think about it, that colour would look lovely in your bathroom," Kairi suggests nervously.

"This?" Sora asks as he dips a finger into the bucket and examines the rosy pink colour. "Nah, pink's not really my thing. However, I happen to think it looks pretty good on you, so why don't you have some?"

Despite his compliment, Sora swings the bucket of paint in Kairi's direction with a dark laugh. She turns her back to him and attempts to find refuge in the kitchen, but she feels a cold sensation smack against her back and spread throughout her entire body. She gasps as the paint continues to hug her frame in a cold embrace and turns to look at Sora with disbelief.

For the first time in days, she hears his laughter echo throughout their apartment.

"Oh, man! That was definitely worth wasting an entire bucket of paint," Sora says as he staggers forward and places a hand over his stomach. "You look absolutely lovely, Kairi!"

Kairi picks up another paintbrush off the—now—pink table, selecting the most intimidating of them all, and opens the bucket of blue paint with a sneaky grin.

"I'm so flattered," she mumbles as she dips the tool inside. Just as she's about to whip the brush in her boss' direction, Sora ducks and paints an orange smile on her belly.

"You didn't think you could actually sneak up on me, did you?" Sora asks haughtily. "Need I remind you that I'm a weapons specialist with years of trai—"his words are cut short when his assistant flicks her brush at his face, effectively coating the other half with blue paint.

"You were saying, oh mighty weapons specialist?" Kairi asks smugly.

"Oh," he growls as he wipes the paint from his eyes. "Now you're going to get it."

Kairi runs with playful shrieks, but instead of throwing paint at her like she expects, Sora picks her up and effortlessly throws her over his shoulder.

"I think we should dye your hair, Kairi!" Sora enthusiastically suggests as he examines their colour selections. "I think we should go with purple! I heard that it's all the rage in Traverse Town these days!"

Kairi screams as her boss brings the bucket closer and closer to her face, but luckily, the sound of the doorbell ringing distracts Sora from his evil intentions.

"What the hell are you two doing in here?" Xion asks when she lets herself in. "Had I known any better, I'd think you two were having sex with all the screaming I can hear through the walls."

The two immediately stiffen, and in that moment, Sora tries his hardest not to notice the outline of Kairi's breasts through her wet, tight fitting shirt.

"Well, what can I say?" he asks playfully, deciding to make the best out of his friend's assumption. "Kairi can't hold herself back around me."

His assistant elbows him in the gut as he bites back a laugh.

"Well, I love what you two have done to the place," Xion says when she turns her sights to the living room.

With a deep sigh, Sora and Kairi fearfully turn towards the mess they've made and assess the damage. The black couch now sported a new paint job, the edge of the plasma screen was orange, their coffee table was pink, and the wall they had previously painted white had a few splatters of paint here and there, but all in all, it was fixable.

"Yeah, we thought everything needed a new paint job," Sora informs as he attempts to wipe the paint off his face.

Xion snickers. "And that's probably the only kind of job you'll get from Kairi."

Kairi laughs out loud but covers her mouth when she sees the scowl on her boss' face. She clears her throat and returns to the white wall to finish what they had started earlier that afternoon.

"So," Sora says while smiling at Xion expectantly. "If you aren't doing anything interesting, would you like to join us?"

"And wash paint out of my hair for the next three days? I don't think so," Xion replies. Then, with much gusto, she stands up straight and bumps a fist to her chest. "Besides, I was just going to head down to the gym on the first floor."

With an entertained smirk, Sora raises an eyebrow at his friend as if to say _gym_?

Xion is quick to slump her shoulders in defeat. "Oh, who am I kidding? Let's get this shit over with."

One hour later, after Sora and Kairi finish painting childlike doodles of each other on the freshly painted white wall, Xion suggests that they paint a large black tree with an excessive amount of branches.

"It can be a memory tree," Xion explains, already envisioning the project on the wall. "We can hang Polaroid pictures from the branches with string—that way, your tree will be nourished and surrounded by new memories."

Kairi nods as she joins Xion in her vision. "I dig it. What do you say, Sora?"

He had to admit that it sounded nice, starting anew, so Sora merely dips his brush in the bucket of black paint as a response.

The tree is well on its way to completion within half an hour, but because Sora is pretty much hopeless when it comes to gentle strokes, Kairi and Xion are stuck with branch duty while Sora wipes the living room clean.

"I think it looks pretty good," Xion says when she and Kairi sit on the couch for a much-needed break.

"Yeah, all it needs is a couple of leaves here and there and I think it'll be photo ready," Kairi says while admiring the tree with excitement.

"Incoming!" Sora exclaims as he charges towards the couch and lands with too much force, causing the piece of furniture to topple over with a loud _thud_. Kairi and Xion hold the back of their heads in pain and glare at a guilty looking Sora, but just when they think that things can't get any worse, a bucket of orange paint falls from the edge of the coffee table and splatters all over their faces.

Xion purses her lips, but before she can go on a cussing spree, the doorbell rings. After making herself somewhat presentable, Kairi answers it while Xion tackles a helpless Sora in the background. On the other side of the door, Riku stands with two boxes of pizza in hand and a very clean and very white dress shirt from work that just _begged_ to be splattered with paint.

"I, uh, heard you guys were having a party without me," he says, but when he catches sight of the mess that his friends have made, he drops the boxes and backs away in fear as the three walk towards him with devious smirks. "Actually, you know what? You guys look like you're handling everything quite well. I think I should go."

The three learn that night that Riku would make a pretty cute redhead.

* * *

><p>The following day, Xion unlocks the door to Sora and Kairi's apartment with the spare keys that she owns and walks inside, knowing where the two would be at this particular time of day. As she happily makes her way towards the spiral staircase, she notices that the air still smells faintly of paint and stops to admire the tree in the living room.<p>

It stands strong and proud with branches extending in every direction and multi-coloured leaves that she, Sora, Kairi, and Riku hand painted themselves last night. Apart from Sora and Kairi's strange doodles on the sidelines, Xion had to admit that she was proud of their hard work.

Hanging from one of the branches was the first memory of many to come. Tied to a piece of string and taped to the wall was a picture of the four of them with their arms placed around each other's shoulders. They all looked rather messy, but despite being covered in various colours of paint, three out of four of them are laughing as Sora unexpectedly pours another bucket of paint overtop Kairi's head.

Xion chuckles to herself, recalling the memory with fondness, and continues her journey upstairs. Inside Sora's room, she finds the two housemates thoroughly engaged in a game of chess with a tray of food in between them on Sora's bed. Whilst tapping her chin in concentration, Kairi moves a piece on the board and knocks over one of Sora's with a triumphant grin.

"I win," she declares, and for good measure she adds, "again."

"No way. Best three out of five," Sora pleads.

Kairi shakes her head and firmly places a hand on her hip. "Nope. A deal is a deal. Now eat your vegetables." Sora shivers, expressing his obvious distaste for healthy food, and pokes at his meal with a fork.

"Don't worry Kairi, I'll feed the baby," Xion assures as she plops down next to him.

"I trust you, Xi," the redhead says as she gets up to stretch. "I'll be back. I'm just going to attempt to wash the paint out of my hair again. Be a good boy, Sora!"

Sora scrunches up his nose and furrows his eyebrows as Kairi skips out of the room, clearly not enjoying the fact that he is being treated like a toddler by women that are younger than him.

"Open up for the gummi ship!" Xion exclaims as she moves his spoon in spiral motions before bringing it to his lips. Her ex-boyfriend grabs the spoon and shoves its contents into his mouth before setting it down with a suspicious expression.

"Okay, cut the crap. Why are you really here?" Sora asks whilst raising his eyebrows questioningly.

Xion dramatically places a hand over her chest and gasps. "Sora, your assumption that I'm here not to see your beautiful face wounds me."

His face doesn't budge.

"Okay, okay, you got me," Xion admits. "Do you know what Saturday is?"

"Mhm," Sora says as he downs his cup of water. "It's the day of the week that follows Friday and comes before Sunday."

He laughs at the expression Xion gives him.

"I'm kidding. I know it's Kairi's birthday," he answers with a chuckle.

Xion grins—not at the joke in particular, but because Sora could actually crack jokes again.

"That's right," she says whilst nodding. "Do you have anything planned?"

Sora merely shrugs as he sets his cup back down. "I was thinking of ordering this Serah Farron purse that she's had her eye on for a while now."

Instead of strangling him like she initially plans to, Xion leans on the headboard of Sora's headboard and gives him a sad smile.

"What?" Sora asks, because he's well acquainted with the look of pity on her face.

"You're still frightened," Xion says blatantly. Sora nearly chokes on his broccoli.

"What?" he repeats.

"You're still used to expressing your gratitude in a monetary and materialistic fashion because you can't risk giving something that would be meaningful on an emotional level," Xion explains. "You know as well as I do that Kairi deserves more than just a purse for everything she's done for you—and not just in the workplace, but at home, too. And let's face it, Sora. You're a pain in the ass, and more so these last few years. She can deal with your shit 24/7 without exploding and that's saying something."

"That's not necessarily true," Sora argues in his defense. "You should see her when we get into a fight at the grocery store. I'll toss all the vegetables back and she'll storm away with the cart like I cracked a whip on a wild animal or something."

"But that's exactly my point. Even after that, your lack of hospitality, your tornado office, your ties on the floor, Roxas, and all the little things in between, she's still here," Xion justifies. "You can't just give her a bag after that. Dig deeper. Think of something she'd _really_ like. You know her as well as I do."

Sora begins to scratch his cheek in thought. He could execute any spell on any keyblade almost effortlessly, he could shoot a target that was over fifty meters away without fail, and he could take out an army of a thousand heartless within five minutes—yet, he couldn't think of what to get a girl for her birthday.

"W-well, what did you get her?" he decides to ask for a reference point. His ex-girlfriend only chuckles at his naïveté.

"Just a record I put together with songs from her favourite artists," she answers. "See? It's simple, and it may not be expensive, but I know she'll really enjoy it."

"Look me in the eye and tell me that you wouldn't enjoy a purse worth more than fifteen hundred munny," Sora demands.

"Well, yeah, I'll admit that it's nice," Xion confesses, but she cuts Sora off when his lips turn upward into a triumphant smirk. "But materialistic pleasures aside, I think that our friend would enjoy something a lot more… personal."

"Xion, you're going to have to be more specific than that. Help a brother out, will you?" Sora pleads with his hands clasped together.

"Fine, since you're hopeless and I'm a nice person, I'm going to give it to you straight," Xion offers. "You have an entire week off, don't you? I say you take advantage of it and go somewhere. It's not every day that your boss gives you that much time off."

"You want me to take Kairi on a getaway vacation for the weekend?" Sora asks for clarification. "Won't she take that the wrong way? It sounds a little couple-y."

"No it doesn't," Xion says. "People go on trips as friends all the time. But if you really feel that way about it, just think of it as another way of expressing your gratitude. Plus, you need to get out of here. Isn't it starting to feel a little stuffy in your house? You should remind yourself that there's more adventures waiting for you out there and explore them. Life doesn't start and end with some blonde girl with a sketchbook. Distract yourself with what the worlds have to offer, Sora, and with Kairi by your side, I'm sure she'll give you a whole different experience. I can guarantee you that you won't regret this."

"You've really thought this through, haven't you?" Sora asks when Xion finishes her speech. She nods, and he merely shrugs his shoulders. "All right, I'm down."

"Wait, really?" Xion asks incredulously. She proudly pats herself on the back. "Well, that took much less time than I thought."

"Your point came across—and I am pretty bored," Sora admits sheepishly. "Now I just need to figure out where to take her."

"I suggest a place where Caelum Industries won't send you," Xion offers.

Sora rests against the headboard and smiles when he recalls a faint, but familiar memory of a place that he knows Kairi can't let go of. He knows, because he longs for it himself, and it was about time he returned.

"In that case, Xi, I know exactly where to go."

The following day, when Kairi wakes up from her afternoon nap, it is Sora's turn to bring her brunch in bed. He bows and offers the silver platter to her like a true gentleman, but before Kairi lifts the lid, she looks at him through tired but suspicious eyes.

"You didn't actually cook, did you?" she asks groggily. "I sincerely hope this is takeout."

Sora feels a bead of sweat threaten to run down his forehead at the insult, but he chooses to be persistent and shoves the platter closer to her face. With one hand shielding her eyes for protection, Kairi uses the other to lift the lid and expects to find some bubbly green monstrosity inside, but instead all she sees is a long pink envelope.

"What's this?" Kairi asks as she retrieves it.

"Just open it," Sora orders softly. "It's an early birthday present."

She sends him another look of distrust before ripping the edge with precision and care. She pulls out its contents, and when she recognizes what they are, she looks at Sora disbelievingly.

"Really?" she asks excitedly, her voice a noticeable two octaves higher than before when she holds up the plane tickets.

"Mhm," Sora hums. "We're going to Destiny Islands."

* * *

><p>"Do you need help with that?" Sora asks when he finds his assistant struggling to place her carry-on luggage in her respective cubby on the plane.<p>

Kairi only scowls at the look of amusement on her boss' face. "No thanks, I can handle this myself."

Sora crosses his arms to challenge her, and she accepts it by grabbing her luggage and getting on her tippy toes. After five failed attempts, she realizes that she still can't reach it. She considers standing on her seat, but that was equivalent to admitting defeat and would attract unwanted attention from other passengers.

Behind her, Sora already has his arms outstretched to take her luggage, and she hands it to him wordlessly. He grins victoriously as he places it in the cubby, but when he turns to look back at Kairi to gaze at her embarrassed face in satisfaction, he feels a pair of thin arms wrap around his waist tightly. He looks down and finds his housemate batting her eyelashes at him flirtatiously with a loving expression on her face.

"Thank you, cuddle bunny," she says sweetly, and Sora watches as a few passengers and flight attendants chuckle at their behaviour.

"Kairi Hart, you are a piece of work," Sora mumbles when he pulls away to put his duffel bag in his cubby.

"Love you too, honey bun," Kairi teases in response, but just as she's about to claim victory, Sora's shirt rides up when he stretches to get his bag in the cubby and she catches sight of the pelvic v-muscle on his hips. She finds her cheeks heating up at the familiar sight and she decides to look out the window to conceal her reaction.

When she feels Sora take the seat next to her, she turns to him and finds his face unusually close to hers. She squeaks and backs up a bit, but Sora is persistent and only continues to inch his face closer to hers. Just when their noses touch, Kairi shuts her eyes and purses her lips with rosy cheeks as the smell of her housemate's unbearably good-smelling cologne overwhelms her.

Then just like that, she feels an emptiness before her when he pulls away. She cracks one eye open to check on him, but he's just laughing to himself while looking at the seat in front of him, purposely avoiding her gaze.

"You totally just checked me out earlier," he says simply.

Busted.

"What? I-I did not!" Kairi stammers.

"You totally did," Sora insists.

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Oh, just shut up and eat your complimentary cookies!"

Half an hour into their flight, a still-embarrassed Kairi feels a slight weight on her shoulder and finds Sora leaning his head on her with his eyes closed and a peaceful smile on his face—a sight she hasn't seen for quite some time. At first she tenses at the unexpected and close proximity between them, but she eventually relaxes into it and leans back into her seat comfortably.

"Your parents," he suddenly says, and he immediately feels her stiffen against his cheek at the mention of them. "Do they still live on Destiny Islands?"

"Yes," Kairi answers apprehensively. Sora had never found the need to ask about her parents before. Why was he bringing this up now?

"You could visit them—if you want," Sora adds with a yawn.

"They, uh, don't live near the area," Kairi informs. "A-and besides, this is your time. We need to rejuvenate your attitude towards traveling and distract you from she-who-shall-not-be-named."

Kairi feels her housemate chuckle at the new nickname.

"No, this is your time," he disagrees after some time. "This trip is for your birthday, and we're going to do whatever you want."

"In that case, I want us to have fun on this trip. Just us—no parents, and no depressing thoughts about blonde-haired ex-girlfriends, okay?" Kairi requests.

She feels him smile against her shoulder, and the warmth eventually spreads to her own lips.

"Okay," Sora agrees.

And it is at an altitude of approximately 36, 204 feet and speeds exceeding over 567 miles per hour in the middle of nowhere that Sora begins to feel a familiar fluttering in his chest.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations:<strong> _Life in Colour—One Republic, Gone, Gone, Gone—Phillip Phillips, Ain't It Fun—Paramore_

**So there was an unintentional TFIOS shout out in those last few traces of dialogue that I didn't notice until now lol. Did you catch it? The redheaded Riku scene was also a shout out to Jinguji Ren from Uta no Prince Sama. His hair and facial structure just reminds me of him for some reason?**

**Okay, so I know I promised fluff in the last chapter, but this specific part of the chapter took up more room than I originally anticipated, so I decided to cut it in half. It's already at 5000+ words and the other half might take just as much, give or take a thousand lol. The next part will feature Sora and Kairi's mini vacation, and after that, I think that's when things get a little more interesting, if you know what I mean. Wink wink nudge nudge.**

**As of now, I've planned this story to have around twenty-three chapters plus an optional epilogue, which makes about twenty-four because even numbers are so much better, no? With that said, we're more than halfway, guys!**

**So, a little about the chapter. The purpose of the painting scene was pretty self-explanatory: to cast aside the memories of Naminé and to replace them with new ones. But, if you look a little closer, it's really about how Sora's views change from narrow-minded black and white to open-minded colour with the help of his friends. The small fact that Kairi keeps beating Sora at chess is also a sign that her views are overpowering his from before. Hooray for hidden messages!**

**Special thanks to** pokepals98, Crush-Chan17, TheNiceCritic, Sookdeo, Wildgirl404, DuelRoxas16, ICanHazSkillz, KingdomRWBY, It's My Lucky Charm, Emi-tan, thelonesomeartist, KittyKat1217, Amulet Misty **and** DestinyKeyblader28 **for reviewing the last chapter! Thank you to those who put this story on alert and/or favourited it, too! I apologize if I missed or misspelled any pen names, and I'll try to get more replies in this time round! I also apologize for the semi-late update. I went on a mini vacation and am just getting used to balancing work and writing, so please be patient and stay tuned!**

**I hope you enjoyed the thirteenth installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think/want to see in the next chapter, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors that I might have missed (there might be more in this one because I'm not going to lie, I was a little tipsy when I edited this lol), and I'll get started on the next chapter asap!**


	14. Chapter 14

**fourteen**

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.

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_The dice add up to a total of fourteen._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up three more spaces._

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.

.

Xion traces her index finger on the rim of her coffee cup and raises a suspicious eyebrow at her companion sitting across from her.

"Are you okay?" she asks, her eyes not failing to notice the shakiness of his pale hands.

"Of course I am," Riku answers as he scans The Usual Spot with heightened senses. "What makes you think otherwise?"

"Because you just poured eight packs of sugar into your coffee and now you're acting like a rabid squirrel," she informs.

Riku leans back in his seat and examines his drink in disbelief. Sure enough, there were eight empty packs of sugar lying next to his mug.

"Something on your mind?" Xion decides to ask, but she already has her suspicions.

The silver-haired man only shakes his head and pushes his coffee away. "No, everything's fine."

"Uh huh," Xion says, clearly unconvinced. "I just asked as a formality. What I really meant to say was 'tell me what's on your mind'."

With a sigh, Riku leans his chin against the palm of his hand and dramatically looks out of the window. "They're on vacation. Alone."

And that's when she sees it: the familiar look of a man longing for another woman. It's all there: the distant, half-lidded eyes, the droopy eyebrows, the half-hearted grin... she's seen it all before.

"I mean, Sora's my bro, but…"

Riku suddenly feels a pair of small hands cover his own, and when he looks up, Xion gives him a smile that twitches slightly at the ends.

"Don't beat yourself up for feeling this way," she advises. "There are many factors to consider: they live together, you like her, and you've known him your whole life, so it's only natural that you're uneasy. Don't fight it—just accept it. The more you try to deny it, the more it's going to bother you, so just let it be and let the pieces fall where they may."

Riku smiles as the warmth from Xion's hands spread onto his own.

"I suppose you're right," he says. "There's not much I can do from here."

She nods in agreement and pulls her hands away from his.

"Everything is going to be fine," she assures. "Besides, it's not like they're suddenly going to fall for each other in one weekend."

* * *

><p>Sora stares at the room before him in horror.<p>

He certainly couldn't fault the view, and the Presidential Suite at their resort was absolutely breathtaking, but you'd think that three thousand munny per night would get you at least_ two_ bedrooms.

"I'll take the couch," Sora says as he passes the _one_ king sized bed, which is nicely elevated on a circular podium with pin lights. Their suite is comprised mostly of stone and beige walls, while the furniture alternates between mahogany and glass. The occasional plant here and there adds some vibrancy to the place, but the overall feel remains airy and spacious.

Kairi lightly slaps her housemate's arm because of his earlier suggestion. "Oh, don't be such a baby, Sora. We're not hormonal teenagers. We can handle sleeping in the same bed without being naughty, right?"

"Says the one who checked me out on the plane earlier," he teases.

"You're not letting that go, are you?" Kairi asks as she pulls a few strands of hair behind her ear with a smirk. "I'd say you rather enjoyed that."

It is now Sora's turn to be embarrassed. The pink tint on his cheeks gives him away entirely.

"Yeah, well, I'm still sleeping on the couch," he says with childish determination.

"Suit yourself," Kairi says. Then, without warning, she throws herself onto the bed and sighs in delight as she relaxes into the marshmallow-like mattress. "Oh," she moans while snuggling one of the pillows. Sora feels a familiar heat stir within him upon hearing this sound. "I can't believe you paid for this entire room and won't even take advantage of what is has to offer. This right here was fashioned by angels who stole fluff from the clouds."

"You're just trying to get me in bed with you," Sora claims as he walks towards the sliding doors that are located just a few feet away from the foot of the bed.

"I'm trying to maximize your chances for relaxation, you ass," Kairi says whilst sticking out her tongue.

"Oh, I'm sure," Sora replies with sarcasm. Then, with a sharp intake of breath, he parts the doors to reveal the view in their backyard.

The sight that greets him is just what he expects and so much more. It is just as he remembers: soft, white sands, fresh waters that reflect the blue of his irises, and the familiar feeling of a cool and refreshing summer breeze tickling his cheeks. In that moment, he is four again, and he can almost hear his brothers laughing at him as he attempts to get a seagull out of his hair. He grins at the memory and gazes at the sight with affection.

It is a beach suspended in time, and for the weekend, he and Kairi would also escape from the ebb and flow of time and just simply live.

The sound of Kairi's voice suddenly coming from the bathroom distracts him from admiring the picturesque view.

"Oh my gosh, Sora, there's a hot tub with a little waterfall in here!" she squeals. "And there are massage jets _everywhere_! Oh, we have to try it right now. Like, right _now_. Come on!"

"Not right now," he advises as he leans against the doorframe of the bathroom. "We'd be killing daylight. Grab your stuff—I say we hit the beach."

The moment they exit their complex, Kairi can no longer contain her excitement.

"Oh, this vacation is going to be so great," she says whilst clutching her beach bag to her chest. Sora shakes his head and chuckles to himself as he watches his assistant skip next to him from his peripheral vision. Her childlike wonder and attitude was becoming apparent in her body language and he had to admit that it was getting kind of adorable.

"We're going to be here for the annual festival held in honour of the island's discovery," she informs with enthusiasm. "There's going to be fireworks, funnel cake, rides, games, the works—it's always been one of my favourite events."

"You had me at funnel cake," Sora jokes. "So in other words, we're definitely doing that."

"It's always a fun time," Kairi promises. "I've attended it every year up until I left for Radiant Garden."

"Sounds good to me," Sora says. He then lowers his sunglasses to examine their options on the main beach. After looking past the family activities, his eyes zero in on a particular hut and he smirks with anticipation. "Say, Kairi, how would you like to try something really fun?"

Ten minutes later, Kairi finds herself clinging onto her boss for dear life.

"Ready?" Sora asks as he revs the engine of the Jet Ski. He turns to look at her with wild, eager eyes, but she shrinks under his gaze when she notices the vast expanse of water in front of them.

"Have you ever driven one of these before?" she asks anxiously. When she left Destiny Islands, she was seventeen and was barely old enough to do such things, but now that she was older, things were going to be slightly different.

"Um, no, not really," Sora answers sheepishly. "But I learn fast!"

"_What_?" Kairi asks—more like screams—incredulously. Activities like these always seemed like fun from afar, but in the care of a complete newbie, Kairi could feel her excitement dying down with each millisecond that passed.

Sora childishly giggles at the face his assistant makes in the face of danger. "I'm kidding! Riku and I used to race these all the time in Bodhum. Don't worry; it's going to be fun! Just hold on tight," he advises. Kairi tightens her grip around his vest-covered waist from behind and presses her cheek against the back of his neck. "Tighter," Sora orders. Kairi repeats her previous actions with suspicion. "Tighter," Sora says again.

"Just how fast are you planning to go?" she asks fearfully.

Sora merely winks at her. "Don't worry about that right now. On the count of three, okay?"

After a preparatory intake of—most likely her final—breath, Kairi nods and squeezes her housemate as tight as her arms can allow.

"One," she breaths, but before she can take her sweet time for the next number, Sora suddenly exclaims "Twothree!" and they're off.

At first, Kairi's shrieks are that of fear and shock, but when she learns to embrace the wind in her hair, the butterflies in her stomach, and the spray of water beneath her feet, they turn into shrieks of freedom and exhilaration.

Throughout the entire ride, Sora feels a different kind of thrill. He'd raced with Riku almost a hundred times, but at no time did he ever feel like this. As he makes a sharp turn, he feels Kairi press herself closer to him and squeeze his waist even tighter with a squeak. He smiles at this small gesture but doesn't show her. The fact that she was hanging onto him, depending on him, trusting him, _needing_ him, was certainly good to know. Being needed—it felt nice.

And there was no race here. Growing up with Riku meant a lifetime of competitions (which was fine because it made him strive harder once in a while), but whenever he was with him on occasions like this, Sora's sole purpose was to get from Point A to Point B with the fastest time. Here and now, there was no rush. There wasn't a Point B. He could just drive.

When they arrive back at the shoreline moments later, Sora helps Kairi off the vehicle and watches as she wobbles her way back to the hut from earlier.

"That. Was. Amazing," she breathes.

"Which is exactly what all the women say when they sleep with me," Sora teases. Kairi rolls her eyes as she straightens herself to regain her balance.

"You're disgusting," she says, but Sora knows she means no actual offense.

"So, are you up for anything else, or are your legs calling it a day?" Sora mocks.

Kairi's jaw drops at her boss' assumption. "Are you kidding me? We're just getting started."

Sora tosses his bag into his other hand, spins once, and ends with a flourish. He playfully bows before Kairi and looks at her with his infamous grin. "Then what's next on the list, your majesty?"

Kairi's eyes land on a volleyball court at the end of the beach. She turns to Sora with a wicked smile and he returns it just the same.

"Would you like to show them how it's done?" Kairi offers.

"It would be my pleasure."

* * *

><p>The remainder of their afternoon passes with decadent bliss. After inevitably crushing their opponents on the volleyball court, the two had gone rock climbing on the inflatable wall on the water's surface, zip lining through the rainforest, exploring through the island's ancient ruins and caves, and snorkeling through waters bustling with aquatic life.<p>

It doesn't take long for Sora to realize that Kairi is just the kind of girl that he wants to be with—platonically speaking, of course. He doesn't overlook the fact that she's tagged along with him on every adventure without fail. She was just as daring as he was. She could keep up. Naminé was much too timid to try anything they had just done, but Kairi welcomed every experience with opened arms.

Yes, she was exactly his kind of girl.

Just as they're about to call it a day and head back to their complex after dinner, they bump into one of Kairi's old friends on the way out of the restaurant.

"Kairi!" the young man exclaims. Sora immediately notices that his voice is heavily coated with a thick accent and that his hair sticks upward like an upside down broomstick. "Is that you? You look good!" he then says, looking her up and down with approval. This doesn't sit well with Sora.

After squinting for quite some time, Kairi immediately recognizes the young man and nearly tackles him to the ground.

"Wakka!" she screams as he lifts her off the ground with a laugh. Sora only cocks his head to the side and watches with suspicion.

"How have you been?" Kairi asks excitedly. "And what are you doing here?"

"Good, I've been good," the 'Wakka' fellow responds. "And my family's owned this restaurant for years. I just became the manager two months ago."

Kairi slaps her forehead. "That's right, I forgot. Sorry, it's just been so long."

"Yes, it has," he agrees while skillfully moving his eyes to ogle her once again. Sora's eyes thin into daggers. He knows that trick all too well. He'd shamefully used it himself a couple of times, but he'd never do it when he knew another man was watching. That was an informal declaration of war.

"So have you heard from your parents lately?" Wakka decides to ask. "I heard they were making an appearance at tomorrow's festival."

Kairi lets out a nervous laugh, not wanting to discuss the topic any further, and feels her arm brush against someone else's. "Oh!" she exclaims when she remembers the presence of her boss. "My apologies. I was too caught up in my excitement back there. Wakka, this is Sora, Sora, Wakka. Wakka's an old high school friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you," the islander says while politely outstretching his hand.

"Likewise," Sora says while accepting Wakka's tanned hand with gritted teeth. Two seconds in, he squeezes a lot harder than he should, and Wakka pulls away with a low whine. The two males make eye contact for a split second, and in that moment, Sora raises his eyebrows and smirks victoriously. He had won this round.

"Your boyfriend's got quite a grip there," Wakka points out with a pained expression. Kairi jumps at the assumption, but Sora is too busy being smug to correct the slip of the tongue.

"Oh, we're not—"Kairi starts.

"So were you two just leaving?" Wakka suddenly interrupts. "I'm sorry if I interrupted you. We were just about to have a fun competition for couples onstage. You and your boyfriend should try it before you go."

Kairi nervously twiddles her thumbs, wondering what must be going through Sora's head due to the ongoing assumption. "Well, that sounds fun, but I don't think we should—"

"In agreement with the company, the winning couple gets five year's worth of Dr. Scrooge's Sea-Salt Ice Cream!" Wakka announces proudly.

At this, all signs of embarrassment and/or haughtiness are thrown out the window and are quickly replaced with hunger and determination. The housemates share a mutual nod before turning their attention back to the manager.

"A five year supply, you say?" Sora asks for confirmation.

Wakka nods. "A new shipment is sent to the winners' address every month."

"Step aside, whack-a-doodle," Sora demands jokingly, but deep inside, he's secretly proud of his clever pun.

"All right!" the islander cheers, his accent shining through. "Just wait backstage with the other couples and we'll call you out in a few minutes."

After a playful salute, Sora laces his right hand with Kairi's and leads her backstage.

"Sora, are you sure this is a good idea?" Kairi asks as she tries not to let the intimate contact affect her body language nor the pitch of her voice. She is no longer a teenage girl. She is an adult and a professional employee of Caelum Industries… that just happens to be holding hands with her attractive boss.

"Are you seriously asking me that question?" he asks as he weaves through a few tables. "It's five years worth of free sea-salt ice cream! Do you know how much time and munny that's going to save us?"

"But we don't even know what they're going to make us do!" Kairi whines. What if it was a competition based off of how long they could lock lips without parting for air? She had a feeling that that wouldn't bode well with him or the company.

"Kairi, they could make me eat shit out of a plate and I'd still do it," he assures. His face then turns a sickly green colour when they take their place at the back of the line. "Let's just… hope it doesn't come down to that, though. Now pucker up," he says as he teasingly grazes his lips over her hairline. "Baby."

The redhead doesn't hesitate to shove him lightly despite the evident heat pooling her cheeks. How was he being so nonchalant about this whole situation?

"Please don't call me that," she pleads.

"We've been dating for like a minute and you're already pushing me around?" Sora asks in a lighthearted manner. "I don't think this is going to work out, Kairi."

He narrowly dodges her slap.

Minutes later, the two housemates find themselves facing each other onstage with a coconut placed in between their bellies.

"The objective of the game is simple," Wakka says as he paces around the five pairs of competitors. "The coconut is now at your bellies, and you must bring it up to your lips. If you touch or drop the coconut, you will be disqualified. The first couple to fairly and successfully complete the challenge will win five year's worth of Dr. Scrooge's Sea Salt Ice Cream as promised! Now, is everyone ready?"

The audience applauds to show their support while Kairi looks up at Sora with worrisome eyes.

"Relax," her boss advises. "It'll fall if you're tense. The trick is to be relaxed—it'll be easier to maneuver that way. We can totally do this. Just follow my lead, okay?"

Kairi suddenly frowns up at him. "Why do we have to follow your lead? We can follow mine just as easily!"

Sora throws his head back with a sigh at her stubbornness. "Honey, can we not argue about this right now?"

"I am _not _your—"

"Go!" Wakka exclaims.

The crowd breaks out into chants and cheers as each couple struggles to move their coconut upward. On the housemate's end, the coconut falls to the belt of Sora's beige capris.

"Use your chest to bring it up to mine," Sora advises.

"Working on that," Kairi says as she slowly brings her chest down to place the coconut on top of her breasts to push it higher and higher.

With reddening cheeks, Sora tries his hardest not to notice Kairi's coconuts pushing their coconut upward, but the task proves to be extremely difficult when he can easily see down her coral sundress. He decides to milk the situation instead.

"Nice bra, Kairi," he says with a malevolent smirk. He nearly laughs out loud at the look on her face. "I never thought you'd be the type to wear lace. I have to admit it's quite sexy."

"Can you not?" she pleads as she tries to maneuver the coconut upward.

"Black's a pretty bold choice for such a thin dress," Sora continues. "And I applaud you for your bravery, it's very hot, but I think a pink one would suit you much better. It adds a sense of innocence, don't you think?"

Due to the temporary lapse in decorum, the coconut nearly falls to the floor, but Kairi is quick to make up for the mistake by pushing her chest to Sora's to keep it steady. Two could play at that game.

Upon instinct, Sora places a hand on either side of Kairi's hips and inhales sharply at the contact.

"Having a hard time focusing, honey?" his assistant teases when she notices the expression on his face. It is one that expresses both pain and pleasure simultaneously.

Sora merely scowls.

"Don't flatter yourself," he growls as he and Kairi guide the coconut to the collar of his navy coloured golf shirt. Sora then watches as the couple behind Kairi drops their coconut. They curse loudly and are nose to nose within seconds, establishing their relationship as a rocky one.

With newly found confidence, Sora rests the coconut on Kairi's neck and tilts his head to help bring it up to her lips, but the familiar scent of rose extract and almond oil suddenly distracts him from his task and causes him to freeze. He'd only get whiffs of this amazing scent once in awhile, but to witness it up close and personal was a different experience entirely.

Kairi's eyes nearly roll to the back of her head when she feels Sora's hot breaths on her neck. Suddenly they're back at the ball, grinding on the dance floor, and she can feel her eyes cloud with desire at the memory of Sora's lips grazing the back of her neck. She hisses when she presently feels his lips glide across her neck to reach the coconut.

Sora tries his hardest to fight the temptation of going further, of trailing little kisses past her jaw and onto her lips, because if he could feel her pulse beneath his lips and get her to hiss at such a simple gesture, he couldn't wait to see how she'd react to the rest of his moves. Her uneasy breaths are almost enough to drive him over the edge, but the damn coconut makes its reappearance and forces him to return to the situation at hand.

And let's not lose sight of propriety. There was an audience watching.

With skilled lips, Sora brings the coconut up to Kairi's mouth and moves his lips upward to meet hers in an indirect kiss. As Wakka exclaims "Winner!", the crowd erupts into a fit of applause and cheers at their victory. Kairi's lips form a small smile beneath the coconut and come into full view when the spherical fruit falls to the floor.

"I told you we could do it," Sora says amidst the applause.

"We make a pretty good team," Kairi points out whilst hugging her arm.

"I guess we do, don't we?" Sora agrees with a warm smile.

That night, the two are given another addition to their memory tree.

* * *

><p>After another fun filled day of massages, parasailing, and kayaking, Sora feels a raindrop hit his cheek as they're hiking through the nature trail.<p>

"Did you feel that?" he asks Kairi, who is at least five paces behind him on the hill that they're currently climbing. She pushes aside a rather large leaf to reveal herself to him.

"Feel what?" she asks with a questioning look.

"Raindrops," Sora answers as he looks toward the sky, but it's difficult to see past the lush greenery of the rainforest.

"I didn't feel anything," Kairi says as she passes him. Sora allows himself two seconds to stare at her ass through her olive coloured shorts before following her lead. After suffering at the expense of Selphie's magic bikinis for nearly two days, he decides to accept the fact that he's physically attracted to his assistant and doesn't deny himself these perverted little pleasures in life.

"Are you sure?" he asks again when he feels another raindrop hit his forehead.

Kairi merely waves him off. "You're imagining things, Sora."

Five minutes later, the two find themselves running back down the hill to escape from the merciless downpour of rainwater.

* * *

><p>Sora opens the door to their suite with a laughing Kairi on his shoulder, soaking wet from head to toe.<p>

"I _told_ you I felt something," Sora says as he throws his assistant onto her bed. "But _no_, 'You're imagining things, Sora'!" he mocks with flailing arms and a high-pitched voice.

"Okay, I'm sorry, you were right," Kairi apologizes as she hugs her knees with a giggle.

"So I guess we'll have to resort to room service because there's no way in hell that I'm walking out there again," Sora says as he walks into the bathroom to change into drier clothing.

"That's fine with me. What are you in the mood for?" Kairi asks as she strips herself down in the bedroom to change into a loose, dry sweater and cotton shorts.

"Pizza," Sora answers from the bathroom.

"Seriously?" Kairi asks as she pulls the sweater over her head. "We're on a top rated resort that can provide us with almost every delicacy galaxy-wide and you want to order pizza?"

Sora opens the door and emerges from the bathroom wearing a simple shirt and sweatpants.

"Is there a problem, princess?" he asks as he leans against the doorframe with crossed arms.

Kairi already has the phone up to her ear when she says, "Not at all."

Two four-cheese pizzas and a couple of drinks later, the two housemates find themselves playing harmless games on the couch in the living room while _The Lion King_ plays on the plasma screen in the background.

"Okay, kill fuck marry… Larxene, Xion, and Olette," Kairi says.

"Mm," Sora says as he pulls a bottle of beer from his lips. "That's easy. I'd kill Larxene because she's a total bitch ninety-nine point nine percent of the time, fuck Olette, and marry Xion."

"You wouldn't want to fuck Larxene?" Kairi asks. "She seems like she's got a lot of experience, if you know what I mean."

"Okay, yeah, but there are three things to consider here," Sora justifies. "One, Olette's pregnant, so I can't kill her. Two, Larxene won't even high five me, and three, even if she did happen to let me touch her intimately—which she _won't_—I'd probably wake up tied to a board with knives thrown all around me because I bet she's into some real crazy shit. I don't roll like that."

"Ah, so I bet you're a real romantic in bed," Kairi observes as she takes a quick swig of her diet cola. After she sets the can back down on the coffee table, she leans back on the couch only to find that her boss' face is unbelievably close to hers once again.

"Would you like to find out?" he asks huskily. He slaps his leg and throws his head back with laughter at her reaction. "Oh, your face! That never gets old."

"Don't be surprised if you're bald in the morning," Kairi mutters.

"Oh, don't be like that," Sora says in between chuckles. "Now, your turn… kill fuck marry… Axel, Riku, and… Vanitas."

"Aw, that's a hard one," Kairi whines.

"I know. They're all hot, right? If it were up to me, I'd fuck all three of them," Sora says jokingly.

"All at once?" Kairi asks dramatically.

"Nah, not all at once," Sora answers as he takes another sip of beer. "I'm not into that. I prefer focusing on one person at a time so that I can give them my full attention."

"Ah, so you _are_ a romantic in bed," Kairi insists with a grin.

Sora rolls his eyes while lightly pushing his assistant's shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, call it what you want. Now take your pick."

"Hmm," Kairi hums, deep in thought as she taps her chin. "See, I'd want to fuck Vanitas because let's face it, that boy is _fine_, but Axel's my buddy, so I certainly can't kill him…"

"You are aware that Vanitas looks exactly like me, right?" Sora reminds. "You just told me indirectly that you'd want to do me."

"Will you let me finish?" Kairi pleads with helplessly pink cheeks. Sora only shakes his head with a smug grin as he finishes the last of his third bottle.

"I guess I'd probably kill Vanitas, fuck Axel, and marry Riku," Kairi answers.

Sora nearly spits out his drink. "You'd _marry_ Riku?"

"Well, yeah," Kairi answers with nonchalance. "Out of the three options you've provided me with, he's the closest one to me, and apart from him being the total package, marrying him guarantees unlimited fucks. See the logic there?"

Sora only pulls out his phone with a wide smile.

"What are you doing?" Kairi decides to ask.

"Texting Riku and telling him that you want to get married and have equally hot Riku babies," Sora replies.

"_What_?" Kairi shrieks. "No!"

She lunges towards Sora and attempts to confiscate his phone, but Sora stands his ground and continues to text with one hand while using his other arm to block his assistant's thrashing arms. When she finally finds an opening to his defenses, she breaks through without a second thought and pounces. She lands on top of him and places her hands on his chest to hold him down, and she keeps him there without fail.

"Pinned you," she says in synchronization with the movie playing on TV.

Sora is surprised to find that he's actually having trouble escaping her hold at first, but when he finally sets himself free, Kairi pushes him down again with a triumphant smirk and lowers her face to his to tease him.

Sora raises his eyebrows in surprise and acknowledges his assistant's strength by raising his hands in surrender. He inwardly admires their position before moving his nose up to meet hers to get her flustered, but much to his surprise, she doesn't move. She only continues to lower her entire body onto his, and naturally, he snakes his arms around her waist in response to pull her closer.

He squeezes her hips as if to question her actions, but she only stops when he can feel her breath on his lips. He gulps and purses his lips in response. She wasn't actually going to try something, was she? If she did, he wasn't sure if he had the will power to stop at this rate. He was her housemate and assistant, yes, but above all else, he was a man, and he could only do so much.

Just as their lips are about to touch, Kairi swiftly moves her mouth to his ear and whispers, "Pinned you again" before pulling away with a chuckle.

Sora growls and pulls on her arm to drag her back down.

"Oh no you don't," he mutters angrily.

He flips them over so that he's the dominant one, and he watches as she simply laughs beneath him with tears in her eyes. He sees what she did there: she's fucked with him, only not in the common interpretation of the word. She laughs and laughs, unaware of the frustration bubbling inside of him, but when he grows content with just watching her lay there, her laughter becomes contagious and he buries his face in the crook of her neck to muffle his own chuckles.

So perhaps it wasn't just physical attraction. If their relationship was built solely on the prospect that they found each other physically attractive, he probably would have hit a home run by now, but because he's laughing on top of her, shutting out everything save the smell of her hair, he knows that it has to be something much more than that.

Then, the unmistakable sound of thunder splits them apart.

Sora is on the other side of the couch within seconds, clutching the collar of his shirt while gasping for air. He's suddenly twenty-one again, getting struck by lightning in the training room. The feeling of unbearable pain coursing through his veins is fresh in his mind and he nearly screams in agony as his eyes grow wide, but he settles for a pained groan followed by heavy, uneven breaths.

"Sora, are you okay?" Kairi asks as she rushes to his side. Another crack of thunder brings him to his knees, but he grabs the closest thing possible to prevent himself from falling to the ground, and that just so happens to be Kairi.

"Sora?" she asks when he tightly winds his arms around her shoulders. She wraps her own arms around his midsection and feels him shaking against her like a lost puppy, craving for human touch and affection.

"Sorry," he whispers into her hair. "I… I was struck by lightning once in the training room and haven't quite recovered from it emotionally."

"Then what have you done about thunder storms for the last three years?" Kairi asks as she pulls him closer. "I'm sure you couldn't have avoided them all."

"I either called Riku or slept beside Xion," he answers shamelessly. "I-it's fine though," he insists before Kairi got the wrong impression. "I'll be okay. Let's just… get ready for bed, okay?"

Although hesitant, Kairi says, "All right."

"Trust me, Kairi," Sora assures with false optimism. "It should be over soon. I'll be fine."

He's not fine.

The storm perseveres until three in the morning, and even then the signs of it ending anytime soon are quite slim. After another lightning strike wakes Sora from his slumber, he shoots up from the couch and runs a hand through his hair with a sharp intake of breath.

Amidst his heavy breathing, he feels a familiar pair of arms encircle his shoulders from behind and finds himself being pulled into Kairi's embrace. The gesture does nothing but increase his heart rate, but overtime, he finds himself relaxing into her gentle rocking motions and soothing words.

"Shh, it's okay," she whispers as she feels him settle down in her arms.

"Kairi, I…" he starts.

"I know," she says, interrupting his apology. "Come on."

Sora feels his assistant grab one of his wrists and he reluctantly follows her into the bedroom.

"Kairi," he whines.

"Don't be a baby," she says, her voice still groggy from sleep. She throws herself onto the bed and motions for Sora to lie down next to her. With a heavy sigh he joins her and watches as she pulls the covers up to her midsection and faces him.

She's a total mess. Her bed head is almost as bad as his own hair on a daily basis and her eyes look absolutely exhausted, but still happy. Still Kairi. Still, from a certain angle, adorable.

Her sweater is much too large for her petite frame, but he knows that's just the way she likes it, and he can't fault her taste in comfort. The sweater naturally falls off one of her shoulders and sexily reveals one of her bra straps to him in a teasing manner, and he has to admit that the off shoulder look is quite good on her.

"You're wearing a pink bra," he points out when he notices it. He suddenly recalls their rather inappropriate conversation from last night's competition and smirks. "You're totally wearing that for me, aren't you?"

Kairi says nothing and turns her back to him, which is completely fine in her opinion because she doesn't fail to notice that her boss prefers to sleep shirtless.

"Oh come on, I'm just teasing," Sora insists with a chuckle. "It's cute."

She doesn't budge, but despite her back being turned to him, Sora sleeps like a baby.

* * *

><p>After persuading Sora to take another form of public transit on the last day of their vacation, the two housemates find themselves walking through the annual Destiny Islands Day festival by the beach.<p>

The festival stands strong and is bustling with life and colour on the pier, and local civilians, islanders, and tourists of all ages walk around with wide smiles on their faces, enjoying the night's festivities.

Sora, who is currently about to take a glorious bite out of his funnel cake, feels himself being dragged to the side by his overexcited assistant.

"That one!" she exclaims, using one hand to hug his arm and the other to point at a particular ride. "We have to do that one! You basically sit in this car that takes you around a track and you have to shoot targets with a laser gun and whoever has the most points in the end wins! I've done it ever since I was a kid, and I've won every single time."

"You want to challenge me to a _shooting game_?" Sora asks. "You are aware that I not only demonstrate, but shoot targets on a daily basis back home, right?"

"Which is exactly why I want to try it with you," Kairi explains. She tugs on his arm once more, causing him to drop the funnel cake that he had in hand, and he lets out a low whine as they take their place at the back of the line.

"You better buy me a new one," he mutters. "I take my funnel cakes very seriously."

"Fine," Kairi agrees. "But only if you beat me," she adds with a smirk.

"Oh it's on," Sora says while cracking his knuckles with determination.

"Like Donkey Kong," Kairi fights back.

"Like soy sauce on a wonton," Sora finishes.

Ten minutes later, Kairi emerges from the game with 2100 points while Sora is left with 800.

"Yeah, get _wrecked_ son!" the redhead cheers. "I'd like strawberries and chocolate on my funnel cake, please."

"Okay, first of all, fuck you," Sora says pointedly, "and second of all, that red dot sight had an unacceptable margin of error. If you tried to aim with that thing on the battlefield, you'd die instantly."

"Oh, stop trying to validate your loss and just accept defeat already," Kairi says. "Now, I believe you owe me a treat."

"Fine, fine, but you're sharing," Sora mumbles as he reaches for his wallet. As they walk towards the funnel cake booth that they had come across earlier, they pass a middle-aged man making a speech on a podium with an audience listening intently to his every word. Beside him is a woman, presumably his wife, standing with a kind smile on her face and her head held high.

"Is that the mayor of Destiny Islands?" Sora asks, recalling the man's face in a few news articles that he'd come across back home.

"Mhm," Kairi hums while rocking back and forth on her heels in the lineup. "What gave it away? The sash that says 'Mayor' on his chest?" she teases.

"Shut up," Sora says as he shoves her forward. As they wait in line, Sora busies himself with the mayor's ongoing speech.

"And it is rather unfortunate that our daughter couldn't join us for tonight's festivities, but I do know that she holds a special place for Destiny Islands in her heart, and I wish her the best in all her endeavors in life, wherever she may be," says the mayor.

"They have a daughter?" Sora asks.

"Yup," Kairi says.

"I bet she's hot," Sora presumes.

Kairi rolls her eyes. "You would assume that."

"But I bet she's a total princess," Sora finishes. "I bet she has someone to cut her escargot for her."

"Bet she doesn't walk into rooms with a certain kind of flower because she hates them," Kairi adds jokingly.

"Bet she only likes her lobster with butter on the side," Sora continues.

"Where the heck do you get these stereotypes from?" Kairi decides to ask.

"I read your magazines when you're not looking sometimes," Sora confesses.

"What? No you don't," Kairi insists.

"I totally do, and it makes me question your taste in reading material most of the time. I mean seriously, do you really think that a multiple-choice quiz will give you piercing insight into your soul? Not likely."

"You totally tried one of them, didn't you?" Kairi asks with a knowing grin.

"Yes," Sora admits. "And I seriously doubt that 'Tickle Me Pink' nail polish is the best for my skin tone."

Kairi laughs as she punches his arm. "You're such a dork."

"Yes, but if I remember correctly from two nights ago, I'm _your_ dork," Sora reminds as he snakes an arm around his assistant's waist.

"Ew, that's gross, I thought we broke up," Kairi says while wiggling out of his grasp.

"No, baby, please," Sora pleads jokingly. "Don't do this. I can change!"

Kairi covers his mouth with her hand and blushes in embarrassment when people start looking at them funny.

"Can you please just shut up and buy the funnel cake already?" she asks in a hushed tone. She only feels him smile against her hand in response.

After purchasing their second funnel cake of the day, Sora and Kairi come across a little old lady that offers them a paopu fruit.

"A fruit for the lovely couple," she offers sweetly.

"Ah, no thanks, we're good," Sora says while waving his hands with an anxious but polite grin. He may have left the island at a very young age, but he wouldn't forget the cherished legend of Destiny Islands' famous paopu fruits.

"So how many times have you used that trick on girls?" Kairi asks when they're out of the woman's earshot.

"Do you really think I'd resort to that?" Sora asks. Kairi crosses her arms and waits for an answer. "Okay, twice," he admits.

Kairi stands her ground.

"Thrice," Sora offers, but when Kairi only continues to look at him with skittish eyes, he throws his arms up in defeat. "Okay, like five times! Are you happy now?"

"Pleased," Kairi answers, but the look on her face changes to one of mortification when a familiar voice reaches her ears.

"Kairi, hey, Kairi! Is that you?"

With fearful eyes Kairi turns around and finds a young man around Sora's age waving at her from the dunk tank. He's just as she remembers: blond with a black beanie over his head, a cheeky grin on his face, and a fading, but still noticeable scar on his face from his troublemaking days in high school. The only difference she notices is that he's slightly taller than before, and there is now a hint of stubble on his chin.

"Do you know that guy?" Sora asks as he watches the young man wave in their direction.

"Unfortunately, I do," Kairi answers. She walks towards him with a heavy sigh. "Seifer Almasy," she greets regretfully.

"My, my, Kairi, the years have treated you well," he says with a grin that Sora immediately wants to smack off his face. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't making a very good impression.

"And who's this?" the blond boy asks when his sights land on Kairi's boss. "Don't tell me—your boyfriend?"

"No, just a friend," Kairi answers, and for reasons he can't fathom, Sora finds this title slightly disappointing after their playful encounters the night prior.

"Oh, goodie," the 'Seifer' character says as he swings his legs back and forth over the water-filled tank. "Maybe you'd like to give us another try, then?"

Sora nearly chokes on his funnel cake.

"You_ dated_ this guy?" he squeaks, his mouth full of chocolatey deep fried batter. "I had no idea you were into the doofus bad boy type."

"Hey!" Seifer exclaims, clearly offended. "Honey," he says while turning to Kairi with a frown. "You must be tired of pleasuring yourself. Why don't you ditch this porcupine and go for a real man?"

"He didn't," Sora growls as he throws the funnel cake into Kairi's arms. He walks up to the short-haired woman by the booth and slaps down five munny on the counter. "Give me one," he demands.

"One?" Seifer asks incredulously. "It's gonna take more than one to take me down, little man!"

Sora cracks his neck and adjusts his shoulders as he walks back to the starting line with the baseball.

"One is all it takes," he says haughtily. He then turns to face his assistant who's waiting for him on the sidelines. "Which one do you want, Kairi?"

"That one," she says, pointing at the large moogle plush on Seifer's left. Sora tightens his grip on the ball and smirks.

"You got it."

* * *

><p>Back at the resort, Kairi sets her moogle plush down by the table at the restaurant Sora had chosen for dinner. They sit under the cabana closest to the ocean and watch as their waitress makes her way through the patio with seductive strides.<p>

"Hello, I'm going to be your waitress for this evening," she says as she readjusts the placement of their wine glasses, purposely giving Sora a wonderful view of her breasts.

Although she purses her lips to stifle her laughter, Kairi can't help but feel outclassed. She never knew that a simple blue tank top and a tight, black skirt could go such a long way.

"Can I get you two a drink for starters?" she asks while flirtatiously batting her eyelashes in Sora's direction.

"One Sangria, please," Kairi orders, and the waitress doesn't even look her way when she jots the order down.

"And for you?" the young woman asks, watching Sora with dreamy eyes.

Kairi's boss turns to look at her with disbelieving eyes when he says, "Iced tea."

The waitress giggles playfully while lowering her face to level with his. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"_Iced tea_," Sora repeats with slight irritation. "And a bottle of your best wine, please." The waitress nods before scurrying off to get their drinks.

Kairi releases her laughter when the waitress is out of sight and earshot. "She totally thought you said pussy the first time."

"I know," Sora says as he turns to look at the beach with embarrassment. "And we're not going to talk about it."

"Okay," Kairi sings as she looks through the menu with an entertained smile. When the waitress returns, she sets their drinks down and takes their orders, but before she leaves, she purposely drops Sora's spoon and bends over to pick it up, giving him a very generous view of her ass. Kairi nearly spits out her drink at the gesture.

"Okay, she's hot, and normally that would turn me on, but that is just borderline desperate," Sora admits when their server is gone.

"What's this?" Kairi asks as she stirs her cocktail with the straw. "Sora's not going for the booty?"

"Hell no," he answers. "Not my type."

"Then what is your type?" Kairi asks curiously.

"Someone shier," Sora replies. "Someone I can… easily fluster," he continues as he grazes a hand over Kairi's on the table. He chuckles to himself when she pulls her entire arm back with tinted cheeks. "You see, I know it's the quiet ones," he observes with a whisper, "that have a secret wild side, don't they, Kairi?"

"I, um, wouldn't know," she admits.

"Mhm," Sora hums. "Sure you wouldn't."

"Sora." His name becomes a warning.

"Yes?" he asks with a grin.

"You are treading on dangerous waters, my friend," Kairi forewarns. "All this shameless flirting is going to smack you across the face one day."

It is Sora's turn to get flustered. "What? I am not flirting with you!"

"You totally are!" Kairi argues with a knowing smile. "Don't be so shy about it. I admit that I think you're cute, you probably think I'm cute since you enjoy getting me flustered, so it's only natural that we'd be flirting with each other. Don't worry, though. I understand that it's all in good fun and that you have no intentions of taking our flirting to the next level, so don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

"Wow, we are not having this conversation," Sora says despite Kairi's observations being almost one hundred percent accurate. He says almost, because lately he's been having some strange thoughts about the _next level_ portion.

"Oh, don't be such a killjoy, Sora," Kairi says while poking him with the end of her chopsticks.

"This is making me uncomfortable," Sora confesses as he pulls something out of his bag. "Here. I got something for you."

Kairi stares at the poorly wrapped box in awe. "Sora, no. You didn't have to get me a gift. This vacation was more than enough."

"It's not much, trust me," Sora assures, "but I know you'll enjoy it."

"I swear if it's a sex toy—"Kairi starts.

"It's _not_," Sora interrupts. "Just open it."

Kairi reluctantly obeys, but when she gets a glimpse of what's inside the box, she throws its contents in Sora's face. Her boss catches the tomato hat with a laugh and watches his assistant huff like a child whilst crossing her arms.

"Happy birthday!" he offers with enthusiasm.

"Fuck you," is all she says.

"Kairi Hart, such language," Sora says dramatically.

"Get that thing out of my sight, you fucker," she continues.

"All right, all right," he says as he puts the hat back in the box. "Now, since it's your birthday, I think it's time for a toast," he suggests as he grabs the bottle of wine. He pours an even amount into two separate glasses and hands one to Kairi.

"To coming out of your mom's vagina twenty-two years ago," Sora says while raising his glass.

Kairi grimaces. "I am _not _toasting to that."

"Oh, just do it," Sora insists. Their glasses sing upon contact and they finish their share within seconds. Kairi twitches upon setting her glass down.

"That was… bitter," she says hoarsely.

"Yeah, that was pretty terrible," Sora agrees with a laugh. "Now eat up. There's more surprises waiting back at the suite."

Kairi looks up from the meal that the waitress has just set down in awe.

"What?"

* * *

><p>Kairi's jaw drops when she and Sora enter the living room of their suite. Despite it being filled with gifts of various sizes, the first that catches her attention is the four-foot tall bouquet of flowers on the coffee table.<p>

"Oh my gosh," Kairi says as she walks around it to admire the vast selection of roses and rather large circumference. "This thing is huge. Was this really necessary?"

"It's from all of us," Sora explains. "Riku, Xion, Selphie, Olette, Hayner, Axel, Larxene, Ven, Van, mom, a couple of other employees from work—they all contributed to that bouquet. Mom told me roses were your favourite so we went all out."

"Hell yeah you did," Kairi agrees. "Where did all this even come from?"

"I had Xion collect all your gifts and deliver them here on the exact day of your birthday," Sora explains. "Do you like it?"

"Of _course_ I like it, you idiot!" Kairi exclaims. Sora feels a drop of sweat run down his forehead at the insult but thinks nothing of it when Kairi playfully hits the pink Mylar balloon that reads 'Happy Birthday!' beside the roses.

"Is it recording?" comes the familiar voice of Ventus from inside the balloon. It takes a few moments for Sora and Kairi to realize that it really is a recording.

"Ven, I don't think you hit the right button," says Axel. Vanitas snickers in the background.

"But the red light is glowing!" Ven argues.

"Are you sure? I don't think anything's happening," comes the concerned voice of Naminé.

"You idiots, it's already recording!" Larxene yells impatiently. The two housemates laugh as they listen to a very poorly rehearsed birthday song, but in the end, their effort is very much acknowledged. When the song ends, a few cheers and party horns are heard here and there, and amidst the chaos, Kairi can make out a few birthday wishes.

"Happy birthday, Kairi! Hope you have a good one!" Roxas screams.

"Have fun on Destiny Islands!" Ven exclaims.

"And remember to use protection!" comes the obnoxiously loud voice of Axel, who ends the recording on an awkward note. Sora scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"Idiots," he mutters. "Anyways, why don't you open your gifts? I'll record your reactions on my phone and send them separately so that you can send everyone your regards and whatnot."

"Sounds like a plan," Kairi agrees. She grabs the first present from the batch and sits herself down on the couch. "This one's from… Axel and Larxene," she reads. The first thing she pulls out of the bag is a pack of condoms. Sora nearly drops his phone.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," Kairi says simply. "Thank you for your concern, but I don't think I'll be using these anytime soon, guys."

After hitting send, Sora receives a text from Axel moments later that reads:

**LOL you're welcome ;D**

The next gift is a pack of ten Nutella jars from Olette and Hayner.

"Now _that_ is a gift," Sora comments. He turns the camera to face him and says, "Bless your souls. May your child live long and prosper."

"Aww, that's cute," Kairi says from behind him. "Sora thinks I'm going to share."

"What?" Sora asks cutely, his voice weak and his eyes glazed with tears.

"I'm kidding," his assistant says as she pinches his cheek. "Thanks guys!"

After opening a pair of fashionable purple sneakers from Selphie, a watch from Ven and Van, a silver rose hairpin from Aerith, a pair of earrings from Roxas and Naminé, and a custom-made record from Xion, Kairi finally reaches the last present of the evening.

"This one's from Riku," she reads as she unties the turquoise ribbon on the small silver box. Inside is a golden charm bracelet with currently one charm attached, and judging by the familiarly and carefully crafted seashell, he'd purchased that particular charm in Bodhum.

_To remember every world by,_ Riku had written on a piece of paper inside.

"This one's my contribution," Sora says as he tosses Kairi another small box from his pocket. She opens it to find a paopu shaped charm on the inside to remind her of the times that she and Sora spent together on their vacation.

"Aww," Kairi says with tears forming in her eyes. "You guys are so sweet. Thank you."

"It was Riku's idea," Sora admits as he continues recording. "He deserves the credit for this one."

"Well thank you, Riku," Kairi says as she admires the piece of jewelry against the moonlight. "I love it."

"And there's… one last thing," Sora says as he sets his phone down.

"What? I don't see any more gifts," Kairi observes.

"It's from me," he explains while walking towards the bedroom.

"Another gift?" Kairi asks. "You're spoiling me, Sora."

"What can I say? You deserve it," he says. He retrieves something that he presumably hid in the closet and walks back into the living room with something behind his back.

"Close your eyes," he demands softly.

"Are you secretly going to surprise me with a kiss?" Kairi teases.

Sora plays along by rolling his eyes. "Well it's not much of a surprise now, is it?"

With a giggle, Kairi shuts her eyes and excitedly outstretches her arms. Sora places a rather heavy item in her hands and commands her to open her eyes. She looks down to find a large white box with the words _Serah Farron_ written across the middle in metallic silver letters.

"Sora, oh my gosh," she says in disbelief.

"Open it," he suggests when he begins recording again. Inside, the red purse that she's had her eye on for months awaits.

"Oh my _gosh_, Sora!" Kairi screams. "I can't accept this! This purse is like… two thousand munny!"

"Well if you don't want it, I guess I'll have to use it," Sora says. "Do you think this shade of red will look good with my skin tone?"

"Screw your skin tone!" Kairi exclaims as she begins to throw things from her old purse into her new one.

"So… do you like it?" he asks while scratching the back of his head. "It isn't too… materialistic?"

"Sora, as much as I like things that are valuable on an emotional level, I won't deny myself the materialistic pleasures of life," Kairi explains.

"Ha! Do you hear _that_, Xion?" Sora asks, pointing the camera towards his face again. "That's what you get for giving me shit the other da—whoa!" The camera follows Sora as he's tackled to the ground by an overexcited Kairi.

"Thank you," she says while wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You're welcome," he says, sitting upward to accept her embrace with a chuckle.

"You owe this to them, you know," she suddenly mumbles into his shoulder.

"Owe what to who?" Sora asks.

"Your happiness," Kairi answers. "To the people that care about you. I know that they may be a bit overbearing at times (Ven and Van immediately pop into Sora's head at this), but at the end of the day, you know they mean well and just want what's best for you. They just want you to be happy, Sora, so I'm really glad that you agreed to take these few steps forward, and for letting me join you. I can't guarantee that the journey ahead of you will be easy, but I do wish you every happiness along the way. You deserve it."

Sora smiles—_really_ smiles—at how genuine Kairi looks and sounds in that moment, and that alone speaks volumes to her. Who would have known that some stranger that stood at his door six months ago would willingly be in his arms tonight? –And clothed, to top it off.

That same stranger wasn't just a piece of ass like the girls he used to bring home from work. He could actually laugh with her and they could easily carry on a conversation without feeling the need to fuck at the end or in between. He was content with just talking to her—anything else was just a bonus.

And she wasn't like Xion, because although he and Xion could hold down a conversation without any funny business, Sora knows that he can't feel something more than friendship for her. She's the sister he never had, and he'll only live with the regret that he loved her when he was lonely in the past.

But this time round, things were different. He no longer felt lonely, and he finally found a girl that could talk to him, understand him, put up with him, and accept him for who he used to be and what he'd become. A girl who helped him see that the people who cared for him weren't just separate stars, shining on their own, but a whole constellation. They were all connected, and she was the newest addition, shining brighter than them all.

So for the first time in a long time, when he pulls Kairi's body closer to his, Sora slowly feels himself letting go.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations:<strong> _Fall—Serena Ryder, So Good—B.o.B_

**Mother of Buddha that was a behemoth. That was almost 10k right there, can you believe that? I'm really glad I saved all this for the next chapter instead of mashing it with the previous one, lol. Originally, this was supposed to take place in an amusement park in Twilight Town, and Sora and Kairi's trip to Destiny Islands was supposed to come about when they were already together—and I hardly consider that a spoiler because come on, we all knew they were going to end up together at some point. **

**Believe it or not, a number of scenes in this chapter weren't supposed to exist. These include the beginning scene with Riku and Xion (I have to thank** Deathgod19 **for giving me that idea), all of the scenes revolving around the lightning storm, and the presents with Kairi. The scene with the rather bold waitress was actually based off of a real life experience. I almost died laughing at my cousin when it happened. **

**So, I feel like this chapter was just 10k of shameless fluff, playful bantering, and sexual frustration. With that being said, there's not much to say about it, lol. It's pretty straightforward and not very deep. I hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless! The coconut challenge also came from **_**Just Go With It**_**, a movie starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. It's one of my comedic favourites. **

**Special thanks to **Crush-Chan17, pokepals98, It's My Lucky Charm, KittyKat1217, Wildgirl404, Deathgod19, DestinyKeyblader28, Amulet Misty, **and** applebear **for reviewing the last chapter! Thank you to those who also favourited this story and/or put it on alert! I'll attempt to get two sets of review replies in this time round, and I'm sorry for any missed or misspelled pen names. **

**I hope you enjoyed the fourteenth installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought and/or what you'd like to see, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! **

**PS. **The next chapter is when the drama really begins, wink wink.  
><strong>PSS.<strong> Lmao I just added the dividers to the chapter and the word count increased by 400. Fanfiction logic.


	15. Chapter 15

**fifteen**

.

.

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_The dice add up to a total of fifteen._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move down five spaces._

.

.

.

Sora wakes up with a smile on his face.

This is a rare occurrence, seeing as he only had two things to look forward to in the past: the first was seeing Riku (with the occasional Xion), and the second was sexing up some random girl from work. Now, there was a wonderful girl cooking a delicious breakfast in his kitchen, and he couldn't wait to start his day by having an actual conversation with her—no strings or funny business attached.

With the same stupid grin still on his face, Sora freshens up in the bathroom, gets dressed for the day, and slides down the rails of the spiral staircase. The familiar smell of Nutella pancakes fills the air and Sora feels his mouth water at the sweet aroma. It is a scent that he has become so accustomed to in his daily life that he can't bear to part with it or its source.

"Good morning, Kairi!" he greets with enthusiasm. He walks towards the coffee maker to make their drinks for what could possibly be the hundredth time and hums tunelessly while he works.

"Sora, we have a problem," Kairi says, her voice stern and serious despite Sora's good mood.

"Well what could possibly be wrong on this fine morni—"Sora cuts himself short when his eyes land on his assistant for the first time that day. Beneath her apron, she wears a simple shirt and cotton shorts, but it is the way she works this simplicity that causes his jaw to drop.

This isn't the first time this has happened, either. Ever since they returned from their vacation a few weeks ago, Sora's heart seemed to forget its job every time he saw Kairi in the morning or accidentally crossed paths with her in the workplace, but he blames it all on excitement and post-vacation glow. He doesn't fail to notice that his heart doesn't skip a beat in excitement whenever he sees Riku, but that's a minor detail that he doesn't want to look into. It may lead to a terrifying realization that he, in no way, wants to come into terms with at the moment.

Right now, post-vacation glow and excitement were good enough excuses.

"What's wrong?" he finally manages to say. Kairi's eyebrows furrow in confusion as she skillfully flips a pancake without looking.

"I… I don't know what sound a giraffe makes," she says with disappointment. She sounds as if she's lost a puppy.

"Huh," Sora says, pondering over the answer to Kairi's confession. "Shit, I don't know what sound a giraffe makes either."

"See?" Kairi asks while transferring their breakfast onto separate plates. "It's bothering the hell out of me. We have to figure this out, Sora."

"Maybe they just… don't make a sound," Sora considers.

"What? That's ridiculous. They have to make a sound," Kairi insists.

"Well maybe they don't," Sora argues. "Maybe they don't have vocal cords." After stuffing half a pancake into his mouth, he then says, "Or mayfee fey make a found fhat the fuman ear fan't fomfrehend."

"Those are some interesting theories," Kairi admits as she stirs her coffee cup with a spoon.

"I know, right? You must be wondering how I can be so brilliant but still retain superhuman good looks at the same time. Oh, Sora, how do you do it?" he asks with a flick of the wrist and a high-pitched voice. Kairi scoffs and rolls her eyes with a smile.

At this, Sora grins behind the rim of his coffee mug. He feels like he's accomplished his first task of the day: making his housemate smile.

"So," he says after a few moments of comfortable silence. "Would you like to go for your monthly PMS tonight?"

"I still can't believe that you call it that," Kairi admits with a chuckle.

"What? You have to admit it's clever," Sora insists. "Pedicure and Manicure at the Salon day. Genius."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Kairi declines. "I've got plans tonight."

"What, a _date_?" Sora teases as he leans over on his stool to mock her. Surprisingly, she doesn't back away with timid shyness like he expects. Instead, she grabs her empty plate off the counter and begins to wash it in the sink.

"If you must know, yes," she finally answers with her back turned to him.

"Oh ho, who is it this time?" Sora asks excitedly. He expects his assistant to utter the name of another lowly employee that he hasn't heard of, but instead, she says the name of the last person he could possibly think of.

"Riku," she replies simply.

And in that moment, Sora's heart forgets how to do its job entirely.

Did he hear that right?

* * *

><p>"You like her," Xion immediately concludes on the other line.<p>

Sora scoffs at the assumption and spins around on the office chair behind the secretary's desk. "What? That's—"

"—totally possible," Xion interrupts. "Face it, Sora. You've been acting different around her ever since you came back from your vacation. You smile every time she's around and you jump at even the slightest mention of her name."

"It's called _friendship_," Sora reasons.

Xion scoffs. "Friendship my ass. I've known you for years, Sora, and this is your behavioural pattern when you're romantically interested in someone."

"You're insane," Sora claims.

"Calm your tits. It's not like I said you were in love with her," Xion points out. "All I'm saying is that you don't want Kairi going on that date with Riku because you're jealous."

Sora almost laughs. "Of what? I'm all for it. I just… don't want her to play with Riku's feelings in the end, that's all," Sora says whilst rubbing the back of his head. "I've taught her how to play games with men, how to see that relationships are nothing but a battle of the sexes, and I don't want him to be part of it."

"Oh, bullshit. You're so in denial," Xion chuckles. "We both know that Kairi's not that kind of girl, and she definitely wouldn't act that way towards Riku. What reason would she have to purposely toy with his feelings? None, that's right. And you can't tell me that you didn't see this coming. He asked her to the ball for moogle's sake, and she said yes. She's going on this date because she _wants_ to, and the fact that they're probably gonna hit it off tonight _bothers_ you."

Sora looks up to find Riku and Kairi discussing something in the drafting room. Through the glass walls he can clearly see Kairi looking up at Riku with admiration as he explains something, and when he makes a joke, Kairi slaps his arm with a laugh and tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear afterward.

"Sora? Hello?" Xion asks on the other line.

Sora snaps back to reality and brings his cell phone up to his ear once again. "Yes, sorry, I'm here."

"Are you okay?" she asks, her voice expressing genuine concern. "I can hear you chewing on a pencil from here."

It takes a moment for Sora's brain to process that he actually has a pencil in his mouth, and that it's been bitten down on the edges. He curses and puts the writing utensil back in its place, hoping that Larxene wouldn't notice when she returned from her coffee break.

He hears another giggle through the walls and watches as Riku assists Kairi in drawing on the drafting table. He has one arm around her waist and another hand overtop hers to skillfully guide her pencil through the page, and his assistant welcomes this rather intimate proximity with willingness and anticipation. Sora is caught between gagging at the painfully cliché position that his friends have found themselves in and breaking the pencil from earlier in half. The scene brings about something bitter in his mouth, and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like it one bit.

"Xion," Sora finally says. "Call Selphie and go to my house. We're going on a date tonight."

* * *

><p>Selphie sits on Sora's couch, blinking up at him with disbelief.<p>

"You want me to do _what_?" she asks for clarification.

"I need you to transform me and Xion into two completely different people so that we can spy on Riku and Kairi tonight," Sora answers. Then, before Selphie gets the wrong impression, he adds, "You know, for friendship purposes. We wouldn't want anything to be awkward in our trio, right? We're just going to make sure that they're compatible, you know?"

"Uh huh," Selphie says, uclearly unconvinced. "I heard you the first time. I just wanted to watch you be in denial again." Xion snickers and high fives the stylist for her honesty.

"I'm not in denial!" Sora argues defensively.

"Oh, sure you are!" Selphie insists. "Do you hear what you're asking of me? You want to go incognito for a _girl_. This whole idea is preposterous, but it's kind of romantic at the same time."

"Look, are you going to do it or not?" the brunet asks impatiently. Selphie raises her hands in surrender and reaches for her emergency make-up luggage.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it, but only because I want to see how this mess plays out," the stylist admits as she sets up her portable salon.

"I personally think it's exciting," Xion says. "I get to feel like a secret agent for one night!"

"All right then, you're up first baby girl," Selphie decides. "Sora, while I work on her, go put on some blond hair dye. It's on the left side of my luggage."

"Hair dye?" Sora squeaks. "Why can't I just wear a wig?"

"Because your hair is an explosion waiting to happen," Selphie replies as she sits Xion down on one of the kitchen stools. "Don't worry, it'll wash out, and it's going to be much easier for me to style your hair if it's dyed. Now go!"

Fifteen minutes later, Xion bursts out laughing when Sora emerges from the bathroom with jet-black hair.

"Sora, what the fuck," Selphie curses in disbelief. "I said blond, not black!"

"Vanitas, is that you?" Xion jokes.

"What?" Sora asks with confusion. He looks into the portable vanity mirror that Selphie had set up on the kitchen island and jumps back in surprise. "Crap, I must've grabbed the wrong colour!"

"No shit! What did you do, look at the first two letters on the label and blank out?" Selphie asks with an authoritative and all-knowing hand on her hip. Sora says nothing because that's exactly what happened.

Selphie sighs as she brushes Xion's hair back. "Well it looks like we're going to have to go with what we've got."

"_What_?" Sora shrieks. "You want me to impersonate my brother?"

"Well, what choice do we really have?" Selphie asks. "We don't have time to dye your hair again, and it saves me all the trouble of me styling it. It's not like Riku and Kairi are really going to care about what Vanitas is up to on Friday night anyway. Just put these on," Selphie tosses Sora a box of gold coloured contact lenses, "and everything should be fine."

After suffering through the tireless perils of putting on a new pair of contact lenses and throwing on a black dress shirt and maroon coloured jeans, Sora is welcomed into the kitchen with applause and wolf whistles.

"Wait, we need one more thing," Selphie observes. She runs over to Sora's closet, grabs the double-breasted black and gold blazer that she purchased for him on his twenty third birthday, and helps him into it.

"Hot damn," Xion says. "I've always wanted to date your brother, but I always thought that he was too suave for me. But now that I know it's really you under there, Sora, I think that this is going to work out rather well!"

"Hey!" Sora screams, clearly offended.

"Now, now, Sora, if you're going to be Vanitas, you need to play the part believably or else you're going to give yourself away," Selphie warns. At this, Sora droops his eyes to convey a more sultry and alluring look and pops his collar with nod.

"Got it," he says with his best Vanitas voice impression.

Xion playfully throws her arms up in defeat. "We might as well go as our normal selves at this rate."

"Do you want to be a secret agent or not?" Sora asks, his true nature shining through his contacts and hair dye.

"Okay Xion, go change while I finish up the final details on Sora," Selphie instructs. Xion nods obediently and makes her way to the washroom with the outfit that Selphie had laid out for her.

"Make up? Really?" Sora asks as Selphie sits him down on the stool.

"Calm yourself," Selphie advises. "I'm just going to reshape some features so that you'll look more like your brother. Do you have a picture of him handy or something?"

Sora wordlessly hands Selphie his phone and leads her to the section where his brother had taken over twenty shameless selfies with Ventus when he left his phone in the break room.

"Don't ask," Sora pleads.

"Wasn't gonna," Selphie says as she shakes her head with a grin. She is surprised to find that Sora doesn't put up much of a fight when she sweeps a kabuki brush over his cheeks.

"Wow, you've got it bad, don't you?" she asks amidst the silence.

"Selphie," Sora warns with closed eyes.

The stylish shrugs as she selects a different shade of bronzer. "I'm just saying. Two years ago you wouldn't even let me straighten your hair."

"Well, these are different circumstances," Sora reasons. "Riku's my best friend, and Kairi's…"

"Special," Selphie offers.

"Right," he agrees as he recalls the feeling of seeing her every morning. 'Special', he figures, is the best adjective he could use without going overboard.

"B-but you're special too, Selph," Sora then adds so that she won't feel offended. "You know that."

She merely scoffs. "Honey, I know."

After a few more sweeps, Selphie steps back to admire her work.

"There, done," she says while raising the mirror to level with Sora. Her minor applications are flawless and natural, and his face, which now looks more matured, looks exactly like his older brother's.

"Whoa," Sora breathes. "I look just like him."

Just as he's about to touch his face to bask in the reality of it all, Selphie smacks his hand away with disapproval.

"Don't touch!" she scolds. Sora whimpers and withdraws his hand in defeat.

"So, how do I look?" Xion asks when she waltzes back into the kitchen.

Sora's jaw nearly hits the floor.

If he hadn't known Xion since his university days, he wouldn't have had the slightest clue that the girl in front of him was his ex-girlfriend. He'd grown so used to seeing her in her simple sweaters and jeans that he'd forgotten what she looked like when she actually dolled herself up.

Her lips look fuller, her cheekbones and eyebrows are more defined, and her eyes, now a soft, lavender gray colour, sparkle with wonder under the pin lights. On her head, she wears a long, midnight blue wig that Selphie has fashioned into an elegant side braid, and the dress that she wears compliments her curves in places that he had long forgotten existed.

"Do you like it?" she asks timidly.

"Do _you_ like it?" Sora asks. All in all, she looks absolutely adorable, but he knows Xion, and he knows that this isn't her.

"It's a little different from what I'm used to," she admits. "But I'll admit that it's nice to gussy up once in a while, so yes, I like it."

"Then I like it," Sora answers with a warm smile. He much prefers her natural look since it's more familiar to him, but this one is also quite nice.

"You look really pretty," he then says.

"What, I didn't look pretty before?" she asks as she flaunts her skirt.

"Oh, you know what I mean," Sora mutters. "What time is it now?"

"7:05," Xion answers after she glances at her watch. "Kairi texted me at 6:45 saying that she was done getting ready at Naminé's apartment, so my guess is that Riku picked her up just now. He could be handing her flowers on the doorstep as we speak."

Sora inwardly cringes at the thought. In his defense, that gesture was cliché and overdone despite his mother being the owner of one of Twilight's most renowned flower shops.

"In that case, let's go," he suggests while spinning his car keys around his index finger.

"Be sure to send me a postcard from the Land of the Broken Hearted!" Selphie requests.

Sora rolls his eyes as he slams the door behind him.

* * *

><p>"Where are they?" Sora asks anxiously, impatiently. He is a fidgety, nervous mess in his seat, and there's no helping it.<p>

"Stop acting so nervous," Xion advises as she happily snacks on their appetizer. "You're breaking character."

"Screw character," Sora growls. "Maybe this was a mistake," he suddenly admits as the consequences of the situation hit him full force.

"I beg to differ. This calamari's fantastic."

"I'm not talking about the damn squid," Sora hisses. "I'm talking about this plan in general. What if they recognize us and ask about the mastermind that came up with this? They'll think I'm some creepy stalker or something."

"But you _are_ being a creepy stalker," Xion reminds as she makes chomping motions with her chopsticks towards her date.

"Not helping, Xi," Sora mumbles as he pokes at their food.

"You're stressing about this way too much, Sora," Xion confesses. "It's one date. They're just going to test their compatibility, and if it doesn't work out, they'll return to keeping their relationship at a professional/friendship level. They're mature enough to handle that."

"But what if it does work out?" Sora asks, desperately trying to hide the full extent of his distress, but Xion sees right through it. "Things between the three of us won't be the same again. All they're gonna have time for is each other, and I'm going to be the third wheel that's always left behind."

"Sora," Xion says softly as she places her hands overtop his. "Everything's going to be okay."

"How could you possibly know that?" he whimpers.

"Because they're your best friends," Xion answers. "Have a little more faith in them, will you?"

Sora sighs and leans back in his seat. "I suppose you're—"he cuts himself off when he sees two painfully familiar people talking to the hostess. Upon instinct, Sora suddenly grabs Xion's wrist and quickly pulls her under the table.

"What the hell are you doing?" Xion whispers angrily.

"They're here!" Sora answers.

"No shit they're here! That's why we're here!"

"I… I don't think I can do this, Xi," Sora confesses.

"Sora may not be able to, but Vanitas can," Xion reminds. "Now get your ass up and face this. We're following through with this mission whether you like it or not. Selphie did_ not_ waste an hour and a half doing my makeup for nothing. Come on."

Despite his pained protests, Xion forcefully grabs 'Vanitas' by the ear and hauls him back up to his seat. After receiving a few odd looks, Sora and Xion discover that Riku and Kairi have been seated no more than three tables away from them. They appear to be chatting animatedly as they look through their choices on the menu.

"That menu must be one hilarious motherfucker," Sora mutters. "Kairi's laughing _way_ too much."

"Maybe it's because Riku's _funny_," Xion says, pointing out the obvious.

"Well yeah, but look at her. She never laughs that much when we go out. It looks unnatural," Sora comments with a mouth full of calamari. "And look at them. They're matching. That's fucking gross," he says as he drinks in their black and yellow colour scheme.

"I think it's cute," Xion interjects. "Yellow looks good on Kairi," she says as she admires her friend's black dress and yellow blazer.

"Meh, she looks better in pink," Sora admits. "Yellow is Riku's colour. Pink is Kairi's colour of independence. She don't need to match no man."

Xion leans back in her seat with a chuckle and enjoys the show. Kairi then sets her menu down to resume her conversation with Riku and she smiles and welcomes his words with twinkling eyes and a genuine smile.

Xion squeals in delight. "Aww, Kairi's so pretty."

"I know, right?" asks an all to familiar voice. "I would've decided against the yellow blazer, though. She looks much better in pink, doesn't she, Sora?"

Sora nearly jumps from his seat and looks up at their new waiter.

"H-how did you…" he starts, but after squinting for quite some time, he finally realizes why their waiter of all people could recognize his true identity. "Axel?"

The pyromaniac, who wears thick-framed glasses and has covered up the triangular tattoos on his cheeks, winks and adjusts the collar of his disguise.

"That's right," he sings.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asks, teetering between curiosity and annoyance.

"I called him in for backup," Xion confesses. Sora looks at her with a shocked, disapproving look. "What? You didn't actually think we could handle this on our own, did you?" Xion asks. "You yourself even doubted our non-existent spying abilities."

"Is there anyone else here that you didn't tell me about?" Sora asks fearfully.

"See for yourself," Axel says as he lowers the silver platter in his hand to reveal everyone involved.

Selphie emerges from one of the plants in the corner, giving Sora a thumbs up gesture while looking through a pair of binoculars, a short-haired brunette (presumably Larxene) sits alone two tables away from him, stirring her cup of coffee with her legs crossed, and Olette and Hayner sit four tables away to Riku and Kairi's right. Sora nearly falls out of his seat when he gets a glimpse of Hayner's disguise. While Olette settles for a stylish hat, her husband lowers his menu and turns to look at Sora with an obnoxious looking horse mask over his head.

"Oh," Sora groans as he slams his head on the edge of the table. "Fuck me sideways."

* * *

><p>"Don't look now, but I've counted about five people watching us closely for the last hour and a half," Kairi whispers to her date discreetly.<p>

"They probably can't get over how wonderful you look tonight," Riku says as he slices his dessert with a small grin. Kairi sets her fork aside and leans her elbows against the table with a smirk.

"And how long have you been waiting to use that line?" she asks.

"Like, all night," Riku confesses with a chuckle.

Kairi laughs at his honesty and rests her chin on one of her hands. "Thanks again for taking me out tonight, Riku. I'm having a great time so far."

"I certainly hope so," he says as he wipes the corner of his mouth with the napkin provided. This gesture alone is enough to separate him from Sora, Kairi thinks. Her boss would definitely use the back of his hand instead, proper etiquette be damned.

"… because we're not done yet," she hears Riku say when she tunes back in.

Kairi's eyes widen slightly as she raises her chin from her hand. "Really?"

"Mhm," Riku hums. "I'm taking you somewhere after."

"Where?" Kairi asks excitedly.

"You'll find out when we get there," Riku answers calmly.

"Oh, come _on_," Kairi pleads. "Park?"

"Nope," Riku replies.

"Beach?"

"Nuh uh."

"Movie theatre?"

"So that we can make out in the back like over excited and hormonal teenagers? No."

"Strip club?" Kairi asks tiredly.

Riku narrows his eyes at his date but the corner of his lips turn upward into an entertained smile. "Yes, Kairi. My plan is to take you to a strip club so that I can show you all my moves on the pole."

"That would be quite a show," Kairi admits as she raises her wine glass before taking a sip.

"I can't believe you just imagined me removing my clothes on a pole," Riku says. He then smirks after placing his spoon in his mouth. "Did you like what you saw, Kairi?" His spoon nearly falls to the floor at the look on her face.

"Is this what you do, Riku?" Kairi questions. "Force girls to envision you naked so that they'll warm up to the idea of doing the dirty with you tonight?"

"It's all part of my master plan," he says, playing along.

Kairi chuckles, because she knows Riku is too much of a gentleman to actually try something that she isn't comfortable with, and leans back in her seat with a smile. She briefly wonders how she managed to score a hunk that was intelligent, polite, and funny all at once, and she didn't even have to pull any of the moves that Sora had taught her all those months ago. She could just be herself, because that's what Riku liked about her. She could easily have stayed as the girl with the frizzy red hair and the oversized glasses and he couldn't care less.

"Ready to go?" he suddenly asks. Kairi shakes out of her trance and looks at her date with confusion.

"Wait, what about the bill?" she asks.

"Already paid it when you were daydreaming about me," Riku teases as he stands to put on his sports coat and scarf. Kairi blushes madly while gathering her things into her new Serah Farron purse.

"I wasn't daydreaming about you!" she argues with embarrassment.

"Sure," Riku says as he sneakily laces their hands together for the first time that evening. Kairi's heart skips a beat when she feels Riku's thumb run across her hand as a comforting gesture, but she looks up at him to find a nervous expression on his face. She squeezes back to assure him that she's fine with the gesture and he acknowledges her permission with a relieved smile as they continue to walk towards the entrance as one.

"Sorry if I'm acting like a teenage schoolboy with a hopeless crush," Riku confesses whilst using his free arm to scratch the back of his head. "I'm… quite bad at this."

"Well I wouldn't say it's _hopeless_," Kairi assures as she subtly leans in to put her head on his shoulder. "And you're not bad at this at a—oh!"

The redhead stumbles backward when she collides with another person, but luckily her date is there to break her fall when she does.

"Oh, I'm so sorry—"Kairi starts, but she cuts herself short when she gets a good look at the person that she just bumped into. "Vanitas?"

And for the first time, she sees what 'Vanitas' looks like when he's been caught off guard.

"Kairi," he whispers with shocked, widened eyes. Then, as if he _just_ realized what was actually happening, he straightens himself and clears his throat. "Hi," he says coolly, but for reasons Kairi can't fathom, it sounds forced. "What are you doing here?" he then asks as his alluring gold eyes linger onto Riku and Kairi's intertwined hands.

"I'm, uh, on a date with Riku," Kairi answers as she slowly hugs her date's arm.

"What are _you _doing here?" Riku decides to ask, desperately trying to keep his suspicions at bay.

"I'm also on a date," 'Vanitas' answers while trying to play off a nonchalant shrug. It is then that Riku and Kairi notice the cute, blue-haired woman peering at them from behind Vanitas' shoulder.

"Oh, and who's this?" Kairi asks with a small smile.

"Xi—"Sora is quick to cut himself off. Of all the things he and Xion forgot to plan, it was her new identity's name.

"Xi… niqua," he eventually croaks out. Xion resists the urge to slap her forehead.

"Xiniqua?" Kairi asks as if questioning the authenticity of the name as well. "Well, it's very nice to meet you," the redhead says nonetheless. "I'm Kairi. I also work at Caelum Industries with Vanitas."

After Riku introduces himself, he finds himself narrowing his eyes when he shakes Xiniqua's hand. "I'm sorry, Miss, I hope you don't mind me asking, but have we met before? You look kind of familiar."

Xiniqua blushes and immediately pulls her hand away.

"Who, me?" Xion asks, her voice slightly higher in pitch. "I don't think so."

"Huh, guess I must be imagining things," Riku says. Then, after glancing at his watch, he says, "Well, Kairi and I have to get going before it gets late. It was nice meeting you, Xiniqua, and I hope you two enjoy the rest of your date. See you at work, Van."

"Sure," 'Vanitas' agrees with a nod. Then, when Riku and Kairi exit through the doors, still hand in hand but out of earshot, Xion slaps Sora's arm.

"_Xiniqua_?" she asks incredulously. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Shut up," Sora grumbles.

* * *

><p>"Target acquired. I repeat, target acquired. Target is currently en route to Alpha's two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock…"<p>

Sora sighs into his cell phone. "Hayner, I heard you the first time. Look, you and Olette are dismissed from tonight's mission. I think Xion and I can handle things from here on out. Selphie, Axel, and Larxene seemed to think so, too."

"Oh I know, I just wanted to use the words 'target acquired' in a sentence for once," Hayner shamelessly admits. "I'll catch you later, man. Good luck with your lady."

"She's not my—"but Hayner hangs up before Sora can finish his protest. The Vanitas impersonator shoves his phone back into his back pocket and slowly pokes his head out from the wall that he and Xion are currently hiding behind.

As it turns out, Riku had decided to take Kairi to the new art museum that had just opened up a few weeks ago, and knowing Riku, he probably knew a thing or two about fine art since he'd taken a variety of different electives in university to establish himself as a well-rounded person. The two are currently standing before a sculpture in the Italian Baroque section and admire the artwork with great interest and affection.

"Wow, Riku knows so much about everything," Xion observes.

Sora merely scoffs. "Please. I can totally analyze any of these artworks."

"Sora, I've known you for six years and not once have you shown a large interest in the studies regarding art and its classical traditions," Xion says. "Your favourite photographer is Peter Parker and the only Michelangelo you've ever known is the one from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

"Xi, all you really have to do is make up false but smart sounding remarks about our society and boom, you'll have people thinking that you're an artist in no time," Sora says while making an exploding motion with his fist.

Xion rolls her eyes with an amused grin. "You're hopeless."

"Am not," Sora insists.

"Hopelessly in love," Xion clarifies, but before Sora can even think about reacting irrationally, something glaringly familiar catches Xion's eye. "Oh my _gosh_, Sora. Look." Sora inhales sharply when his date points a shaky finger at two figures fast approaching Riku and Kairi.

"_Fuck_," Sora curses.

"Hey Riku, Kairi!" Ventus hollers. He and the real Vanitas greet the couple with a few casual exchanges, but the moment is lost when Kairi asks where the fictitious 'Xiniqua' character is.

"Who?" Vanitas asks with confusion. Kairi also doesn't fail to notice that his outfit is different from earlier.

Behind the wall, Sora and Xion take turns shoving each other forward.

"Go!" Sora whispers frantically.

"No, you go!" she argues.

"I can't go! They're going to see _two _Vanitas', and that's going to freak them the hell out. You have to go, Xi! Go, go, go!" Sora finally earns the winning shove and watches as Xion walks towards the group of people with unconfident and shaky strides.

"O-oh, th-there you are, Van! I was looking all over you!" 'Xiniqua' says with a girlish laugh. She then hooks her arm with one of Vanitas' and he almost pulls away, but her sister's ninja training pays off and she pulls him back with a forced smile. There is something familiar about the girl's firm grip, so Vanitas stops fighting it entirely.

"And Ven!" the girl exclaims, hooking her arm with his as well. "Come on, we have to go to… the washroom! Now!"

Sora slams his head on the wall continuously.

"O-oh, Riku, Kairi, I didn't see you there for a second!" 'Xiniqua' then adds. "It's lovely seeing you again, but we really need to go now, bye!"

After hauling the two boys to where Sora is, a very annoyed and confused Ven and Van stop dead in their tracks when they get a good look at their baby brother. Suddenly, amidst the silence, they understand everything, and after sharing a look, they burst into uncontrollable laughter when the whole situation sinks in.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Sora asks angrily.

"What, we can't appreciate art out of our own free will?" Ventus asks in between wheezes.

"Tonight of all nights, though? Really?" Sora continues.

"How were we supposed to know that you'd try impersonating me today to spy on your lady, hm?" Vanitas asks in a teasing fashion. "I have to say I'm quite flattered by your selection, little brother, but your posture is all wrong."

"Shut up," Sora hisses. "Listen, you two have to stay out of Riku and Kairi's way tonight, okay? Just for tonight. Please please _please_ don't mess this up for me."

"Roger," Ventus agrees with a playful salute. Vanitas, on the other hand, doesn't look too pleased about remaining unseen. One way or another, he'd mess with his baby brother, and he'd mess with him good.

"We'd hate to get in the way of true love," Ven then adds whilst wiggling his eyebrows.

"Can you not?" Sora pleads. "Look, just… stay out of sight, out of sound, and out of mind, and I'll make it up to you."

"What's in it for us exactly?" Van asks with his signature smirk and crossed arms.

"The satisfaction of helping your brother get with his future wife," Xion offers. She avoids the dirty look Sora sends her.

"Doesn't seem like a fair trade," Van argues, mischief in his eyes.

"I'll let you take a joy ride in the Bugatti," Sora offers—a little regretfully, he may add, but the twins appear to consider this one. Out of all the Fair children, they had to admit that the youngest had the nicest—not to mention fastest—car of them all.

"Do you promise total control over the radio stations?" Ventus asks, initiating the ancient rite of dealing between the Fair brothers.

"I swear," Sora responds.

"Food and drinks allowed in the vehicle?" Vanitas asks.

"I swear," Sora repeats, though with slight hesitance.

"Do you promise that the radar detector will be on at all times to avoid Grand Theft Auto-esque popo chases?" Ventus adds.

"Yes," Sora answers tiredly.

"How many bitches would be allowed in the car?" Ven asks jokingly.

"Can we just get to the end of the conditions, please?" Sora begs.

"All right," Ventus agrees as the three brothers bring their hands together. "Anyone who steps outside of the boundaries stated beforehand can and will be subjected to one or all of the following: sacking, nipple twisting, oxygen deprivation by means of consistent farting, and Chinese water torture. Do we hereby abide by these conditions?"

"I do," Vanitas and Sora say in unison, and Xion can only shake her head at the strange antics of the Fair children.

"Then we have a deal, gentlemen," Ventus concludes.

The deal is broken no more than ten minutes later when Ventus and the real Vanitas take an 'accidental' wrong turn in the Venetian Renaissance section.

"Vanitas, you keep changing rather fast," Kairi observes when they cross paths once again. Behind Riku and Kairi, at the very end of the hallway, Xion restrains Sora from going on a rampage. Vanitas merely chuckles and brushes his bangs back with one hand.

"What can I say?" the real Vanitas asks. "I guess you can say that I sometimes feel like I'm… two different people."

Ventus lets out a nervous laugh while throwing an arm around his twin brother's shoulders. "Oh, Vanitas, ever the moody one. Sorry for disturbing you again, Riku and Kairi. Please disregard any of my brother's comments and enjoy the rest of your date!"

"Are they always that… weird?" Kairi asks when the twins turn the corner.

"Yes, but not to this extent," Riku answers skeptically. After staring at the empty corner with skittish eyes, he shakes it off and returns to the painting that he and Kairi are currently admiring.

"This one here is one of my favourites," Riku starts. "It's an oil painting by an artist that goes by the name Titian, and it illustrates the first meeting of Bacchus, the Roman equivalent of the Greek God of Wine, and Ariadne, the Mistress of the Labyrinth. Despite its creation being in the fifteen hundreds, it's still considered one of the most famous still life paintings depicting movement of all time."

Kairi nods, showing that she is, first of all, attentive and interested, and second, grasping the content; although, she can't help but think of what her boss would say about this particular piece. The only thing that he'd comment on would probably be Ariadne's ass, and he'd proceed in making smart but false remarks about their physical society in the process. The thought makes her laugh amidst Riku's explanation, but despite her accurate predictions, Sora leans against the wall in the corner, listening to every word that leaves Riku's mouth.

"There are many ways to interpret what's being presented here. Most people like to think that it conveys love at first sight, and I can agree with that to some extent, but I think there's something more to it than that," Riku explains. "You see, if you look closely, Ariadne is reaching out her hand towards a ship that's leaving in the background. That ship carries Theseus, the man she loves, but as he leaves her, Bacchus literally swoops in, awestruck by her beauty, so you can see where the love at first sight argument applies; however, I think this conveys something much less… naïve than that. I see a message of hope. While one lover leaves, another will eventually come by, eager and willing. What do you think?"

While Kairi formulates and voices her opinion, Sora mulls over his best friend's judgment with misty eyes.

_When one lover leaves,_ he considers while recalling the image of Naminé leaving The Usual Spot after their first real conversation as exes.

_Another will eventually come by,_ he thinks as he remembers a girl with frizzy red hair standing on his doorstep seven months ago with a sticky note in her hand and an anxious look on her face.

A series of memories since that moment suddenly rush through his brain and overwhelm him: Kairi shaking his hand in his car after months of avoiding her, Kairi making crepes for him for the first time, Kairi soaking wet in the rain, Kairi looking up at him as it rains yellow daffodil petals all around, Kairi nicely dressed and pampered for her first day at Caelum Industries, Kairi laughing under the gazebo on his terrace with two sea-salt ice creams in hand, Kairi flawlessly pouring tea and reaching for a spike in Bodhum, Kairi making fun of him with his mother, Kairi with that ridiculous tomato hat on her head, Kairi casting her first keyblade spell, Kairi yelping in pain whenever he stepped on her foot in the living room as they waltzed, Kairi in her goddess dress and tattering that same goddess dress with mascara stained cheeks on his bed, Kairi screaming in excitement as they zip line through the rainforest of Destiny Islands, Kairi with her comforting arms around him during the thunder storm, Kairi asking him what sound a giraffe could possibly make, Kairi, right now, willingly kissing his best friend's cheek…

Sora shakes his head.

Wait, what was that last one again?

Sora peers his head from the corner to confirm what he had just seen and, indeed, there was Kairi, on her tippy toes, planting one on Riku's—now—red cheeks. Something painfully familiar stirs deep within his heart, but he refuses to acknowledge it as anything else but an obnoxious burp that he's been trying to hold back.

Sora throws the back of his head against the wall and sighs. He suddenly feels so dirty for having witnessed such an intimate moment, and it is only in that moment that he suddenly realizes what he's actually doing, and he's ashamed to have done it. This night was supposed to belong to the both of them and both of them alone, but he'd secretly tagged along because he was selfish.

He didn't follow them because he wanted to test their compatibility. He didn't follow them because he felt left out. While the latter was partially true, the real reason was leaning more towards wanting Kairi all to himself. He'd grown so accustomed to it, her attention, that when a suitable candidate took it away from him, he felt threatened and compelled to go after what was once his, and along the way, he began to come into terms with what was really going on: he was slowly falling for his own assistant.

"Sora?" Xion asks as she squeezes his arm as a comforting gesture.

"We should probably go," Sora suggests, his face impassive as he looks towards the exit. "I need to wash this dye out of my hair before Kairi gets back."

Xion only nods and follows Sora to his car, passing Riku's motorcycle along the way in silence. As he starts the car, Sora goes over what awaits him at home.

When he was 'Sora' again, Kairi would eventually return, and with an animated expression she'd forcefully tell him all about the wonderful time that she'd had on her date, pausing once in a while to make sure he was actually paying attention, but he knows that she doesn't need to. He'd seen the date and all its entirety, and quite frankly, he didn't feel like suffering through it again.

* * *

><p>It is five past midnight when Kairi returns, and a freshly showered Sora walks down the spiral staircase wearing a simple white shirt and black basketball shorts. He watches as Kairi opens the door slightly to wave at her date one last time, and when the door clicks shut behind her, she sighs in delight like a teenage girl and catches herself only when she notices her boss raising his eyebrows at her as he sits on the last step of their staircase.<p>

"Hey," he greets with a half-hearted smile.

"Hi," she replies with embarrassment.

"Tired?" Sora decides to ask as he gets up to stand on his feet.

"Not really," Kairi replies distantly. "What about you? Did you do much while I was gone?"

Sora merely shrugs. "Nothing worth mentioning."

Kairi suddenly cocks her head to the side and gives Sora a strange look that he can't quite place.

"Your hair looks darker," she observes with suspicion. Her boss instinctively tenses and tries to play it off with a scoff.

"Girl, what? You're seeing things," he claims as he makes his way to the couch. "It's probably just the lighting in here."

"Sure," Kairi says unconvincingly as she joins him in the living room. She sits sideways on the couch and outstretches her legs to rest overtop his. Then, as if it's just been another night after work, Sora removes her heels and tosses them to the floor as she sighs in relief.

"That feels so much better," she says as she rests her head on the armrest. Then, after a few moments of silence, she sits up and taps Sora's shoulder.

"Hm?" he hums as he stares up at nothing in particular.

"So I saw Vanitas today," Kairi starts. "Twice." The movement of Sora's Adam's apple as he gulps catches her eye.

"Did you?" Sora asks, feigning disinterest.

"Mhm," Kairi replies as she brings her legs in to hug them. "He was on a date with some girl named Xiniqua."

"Was she hot?" Sora asks, playing up his oblivious act.

"She was super cute," Kairi answers, "but there was something… distinctly familiar about her. Vanitas was acting a little off, too."

"I see," Sora says as the ceiling becomes more and more interesting. Then, amidst the tense silence, the brunet feels something wet hit his cheek, and it takes him a few moments to process that it is Kairi's lips pressing against the side of his face.

"K-Kairi, wh…" Sora starts as he just sits there, confused and paralyzed by her actions.

"Riku and I eventually figured out it was you," she says with a giggle.

"What? How?" Sora asks as his confidence towards his acting skills hangs by a thread.

"Your body language alone wasn't very convincing, and_ Xiniqua _wasn't a very good cover up," Kairi explains. Sora can already hear Xion saying, "I told you so" in a singsong voice.

"Th-then, why the…" Sora can't bring himself to say the word 'kiss' because he's still in momentary shock because of it.

"You're so adorable, Sora," Kairi confesses, and she watches as her boss blushes at the compliment. "I think it's cute that you'd go out of your way to spy on us today, and I totally know why you did it."

"Y-you do?" Sora squeaks.

"Of course I do," Kairi says. "We're a trio, and you felt out, so it was only natural that you'd try and check up on us. I'm sorry you felt that way, Sora, but as adults, I hope you understand that there are some things that the three of us can't do together, and dating is certainly one of them."

"Uh…" Sora starts, unsure of what to make of the conversation.

"And well, I guess the bright side is that I don't have to tell you about how my date went, seeing as you saw for yourself," Kairi snickers as she stands from the couch.

"R-right," Sora admits.

"And for the record, I think you make a better brunet," Kairi confesses as she ruffles his hair. Then, after a good stretch, she excuses herself for a late night shower and leaves Sora alone on the couch to think about what just happened.

A shaky hand flies to the spot on his cheek that Kairi had just kissed. It's still moist and slightly pink from the mark that her lipstick left, but when Sora thinks of another young man that probably shared the same mark on his cheek, a familiar ache wells up inside of him, and Sora is given a brief reminder as to why it's called a crush.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>And the tables have suddenly turned! Did I catch anyone off guard with the direction that this story decided to take? I know plenty of you felt bad for Riku in the last chapter (which I thought was hilarious because out of all 10k words of SoKai fluff, you guys felt sorry for the guy in the first 300 words), so I hope this offsets the feels you had for him—the price, however, is having the pity directed to Sora LOL. This love triangle is just getting more and more delicious. <strong>

**On a lighter note, can someone please tell me what sound a giraffe makes? I've asked tons of people this question, and none of them can give me an answer. **

**So, as you've read, this chapter features my favourite painting, Titian's **_**Bacchus and Ariadne**_**. Classical art has to be my favourite. Don't get me wrong, artists these days are very talented and creative, and I do enjoy my fair share of modern art, but back then, all they had was paint and a blank canvas. No computer, no Photoshop, nothing, and that's something I find incredible. I also love artworks that tell stories about Greek/Roman myths. There's your fun fact about aliciousness for the day, lol. Riku's interpretation of Titian's painting is also very relevant to future events, so remember to keep the story of Bacchus and Ariadne in mind! **

**All right, so originally Sora wasn't supposed to spy on Kairi and Riku, but writing an overly jealous Sora is always fun, and disguising him as his brother was also a fun last minute decision. If you feel bad for Sora now, remember what's going through Kairi's head. Every time we tune back to her, she's always thinking about how Sora would do things differently from Riku, so as you can see, she's always got him on her mind, wink wink. **

**And dorky Hayner returns! Honestly I love making him do the weird stuff. He kills me, and I'm actually proud to say that I own the horse mask that he was wearing in this chapter. Best thirty bucks of my life. **

**Special thanks to **Ken7700, Sookdeo, It's My Lucky Charm, Naivette, codeninjathe, pokepals98, DestinyKeyblader28, Crush-Chan17, KittyKay1217, Guest, Amulet Misty,** and **Wildgirl404** for reviewing the last chapter, and thank you to those newbies who have put this story on alert and/or favourited it! Glad to have you all on board!**

**I hope you enjoyed the fifteenth installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review if you'd like to see more SoKaiRi action, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap!**

**PS. Fun fact: **Lucina from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_ played a small part in the design of Xion's disguise.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **Ladies and gentlemen, we have currently exceeded 9200 hits, 150+ reviews, 60 faves, and 90 alerts! Thank you so much for the support!

Also, if it interests you, I've posted the first chapter of a mini four-shot project, so feel free to check that out if you'd like. A few of you have been wondering why I only have one story posted, so hopefully this one is also to your liking!

Now, onward to our favourite love triangle!**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>sixteen<strong>

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_The dice add up to a total of sixteen._

_Move up sixteen spaces._

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Kairi sits in her cushiony seat, stirring her latte with self-consciousness.

The venue that Naminé had chosen for her bridesmaids' lunch was a quaint little French restaurant in the heart of New Twilight, and although its brick walls, mahogany doors, and blue awnings gave off an authentic impression, Kairi finds that she isn't enjoying herself despite its renowned five-star reputation.

Perhaps it was the food. She was a never a fan of escargot, and truth be told she'd been craving a pizza for the last hour and a half, but she tolerated it for Naminé's sake. Then again, perhaps the company had something to do with her discomfort as well. Out of all of Naminé's bridesmaids, Kairi was only familiar with Olette and Selphie, but they left over forty minutes ago. The woman named Aqua seemed nice enough, but just as they were getting into a detailed and animated conversation about the technical aspects of her latest keyblade design, her husband Terra called asking for help with their daughter.

Now, Kairi pokes at her snails with unease, half-listening to a conversation that was fed by people she hardly knew. She recognizes Yuna, the hostess from Atlantica since she, Sora, and Riku had been there countless times before, but that was about it for familiarity.

"Hey, it's Kairi, right?" the girl to her left asks. The sun has treated her skin to a nice, healthy tan, her long, blonde hair is tied into a complex mixture of braids, and Kairi suddenly feels the need to cross her arms over her own chest at the amount of cleavage that this woman is showing.

"Um, yes," she replies awkwardly.

"Rikku," the young woman introduces as she perkily offers her hand. As Kairi shakes it, Rikku gets straight to the point. "So, not that it's any of my business, but I heard that you started going out with Riku Masamune a few weeks ago?"

_Well, that got personal real fast,_ Kairi thinks. "U-um, yes, that's correct."

"Oh, you are_ so_ lucky," Rikku gushes. "He is _fine_."

And here Kairi thought things couldn't get any more uncomfortable.

"Yes, I… suppose he is…" she agrees timidly.

"So what's it like having Riku for a boyfriend?" Yuna, who sits to Rikku's left, asks curiously.

"Girls, let's not interrogate her now," Naminé rebukes, but her resolve is easily swayed. "All right, I admit that I'm dying to know, too. Spill, Kairi."

The redhead drops her spoon and begins to wave her hands in front of her face. "I, um, we… haven't really put a label on our relationship yet, so I really wouldn't know."

"Is he good in bed, at least? Certainly you can tell us that, right?" Rikku asks.

"A-ah," Kairi stammers, red-faced as she twiddles her thumbs. "We're taking things kind of slow."

"No kidding," Rikku agrees in a heartbeat. "I applaud you for being able to hold yourself back around that. I probably would have banged him countless times by now—you know, if I was the one dating him instead. Of course I wouldn't try anything on him now."

"Uh huh…" Kairi says awkwardly. Then, as if the sound of bells came straight as a blessing from heaven, Riku walks through the doors of the restaurant donning a simple yellow dress shirt, jeans, and his signature slim fit leather jacket. In his right hand, he swishes the keys to his motorcycle presumably parked outside, and in his left, he carries a bouquet of fresh pink roses.

"Good afternoon, ladies," he greets suavely, and it's all Rikku can do not to jump out of her seat and maul him on the spot. "You wouldn't mind if I borrowed Kairi for a bit, do you?"

The girls exchange a few sly looks before nodding at Riku fervently.

"Oh, go right ahead," Naminé imposes.

"In fact, take whoever else you want," Rikku adds as she squirms in her seat. "Seriously," she whispers seductively. "Anyone else you want."

Riku lets out a nervous laugh as he snakes an arm around Kairi's waist.

"Just Kairi will do, thanks," he insists as he begins to lead her to the exit. After a few half-hearted farewells, Kairi finally passes through the threshold of the restaurant and lets out an exasperated sigh. Then, after a good stretch, she turns to face her sort-of-boyfriend with a relieved smile. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you right now."

"Only now?" Riku teases as he hides the bouquet behind his back. "I'm starting to think that you don't deserve these."

"Oh, don't be like that," Kairi says as she wraps her arms around his neck and pouts. He proceeds in placing his own arms around her waist in response. "You know I'm always glad to see you, Riku."

"Is this your plan? To use your charming demeanor against me to get your way?" Riku asks when his sort-of-girlfriend inches her face closer to his.

"Depends, is it working?" she asks, her lips grazing his ever so slightly.

"Kairi Hart, we are in a public place," he reminds with a chuckle, but in hindsight, there aren't too many people walking around them.

"So what I'm picking up from this is that you don't want to kiss me," Kairi says. "All right then," she adds as she pulls away. Then, at the last possible second, she feels Riku grab her wrist and spin her before bringing their lips together in one fluid motion. She laughs into the kiss and wraps her arms around him once again, indulging in the fact that they could act like love struck teenagers every once in awhile.

It is only when Riku's back makes contact with his motorcycle that he feels grounded enough to realize what's really happening. As his heart skips a beat, he pulls away and lays a hand on their only form of transportation to prevent it—or possibly him—from falling over.

"Fine, you win," he says with a playful groan. While keeping one arm around her waist, he presents the flowers to her with a small grin. Amidst her squeals of admiration, Kairi notices something peculiar in the middle of the bouquet. When she pulls it out, she notices that it's a triangular shaped box, and judging by its cheesy smell and grease marks forming on the edges, it is exactly what Kairi had been craving moments ago.

"So did I tell you how glad I am to see you?" Kairi repeats as she eyes the slice of pizza with affection.

"You might have mentioned it," Riku answers as he pulls her to him once again, but this time, amidst their tight embrace and locked lips, his motorcycle topples over entirely.

* * *

><p>A life without Kairi, Sora decides, is a lonely one.<p>

He may have the house all to himself, but he certainly isn't alone—not when she exists in stationary chessboards and half-eaten sea-salt ice cream bars, and that's what makes it worse. She's there, but she's not there, which, in turn, heightens the loneliness.

Currently, Sora sighs as he runs a hand through what he had just painted moments ago. While lost in his thoughts about his there-but-not-there housemate, he subconsciously managed to paint a hand extending a paopu fruit to the doodle he had made of Kairi's profile weeks ago, when they had first painted the memory tree. At first it just started out as an innocent doodle, but it snuck up on him that it was something much more than that when he stepped back to examine the final product.

When he turns his attention back to the memory tree, his hand grazes the Polaroid taken at Destiny Islands—the one of him and Kairi with a coconut in between them, the only thing getting in the way of their indirect kiss.

Then, a revelation.

_Oh my gosh,_ Sora thinks as his arm drops to his side. _I'm being a little bitch._

What had become of him? The great playboy Sora, effortlessly brought to his knees by his own assistant. He only admitted that he was starting to develop feelings for her, and all of a sudden, he was painting unreciprocated doodles on the walls and reminiscing in memories that could never be repeated exactly, no matter how hard he tried. That moment was meant for that specific timeframe, and there it was, suspended in instant film forever, just as their relationship was bound to be suspended… in the friend zone.

_And there it is again,_ Sora thinks. Was he always this melodramatic? He needed to stop over thinking the situation. Riku and Kairi were together, and that was the end of that. He needed to stop blowing things out of proportion. He needed to… he needed…

He needed vodka.

Just as he's about to call Hayner for a drink (the guy's wife was pregnant—he was bound to have a secret stash somewhere), he hears a pair of keys jam into the lock, and in walks the woman of his affections with another bouquet in hand.

"Let me guess," Sora says as he eyes the flowers. "Riku?"

"No," Kairi answers as she searches the kitchen for a suitable vase. "The mailman decided that, after months of seeing my gorgeous face, he was madly in love with me, and so he bought me these flowers to profess said love."

"I wasn't aware that our mailman was blind. He must be if he thinks you of all people are gorgeous," Sora teases, unable to help himself. This is how they worked: consistent playful banter, because flirting was clearly out of the question.

Kairi mock gasps as she fills the vase with water. "How dare you, sir. I am offended by your rejection towards my beauty."

"You should be," Sora says. "Have you seen your hair in the morning? I have two words for you: split ends. Girl, you need a trim."

"Have you been reading my magazines again?" Kairi asks accusingly.

"Only when you're not around," Sora confesses. _Which is a lot,_ he adds bitterly. "So," he says, trying not to get caught up in his sullen mood. "What did you do today? Besides Riku, of course."

Kairi makes a face before answering. "Okay, no. Don't even go there. I just went to a bridesmaid lunch with Naminé then went to watch a musical with Riku in the middle district."

"Mm," Sora hums, drinking in the information. He says nothing about the details regarding Naminé, which Kairi takes as a good sign since he appears to be accepting the situation rather than fighting it. He decides to question her about her date instead, but it sounds like he's asking out of common courtesy rather than actual interest.

"So what did you watch?" he asks.

"Aladdin," Kairi answers as she puts the vase up for display in the living room.

"Was it any good?" Sora asks, his half-heartedness making itself apparent in his languid body language.

"Pretty good, although Jasmine's voice was just a tad pitchy," Kairi confesses.

Sora throws his head back with a laugh. "You're one to criticize. I've heard you in the shower, Kairi—"

"—and my singing voice sounds like a mixture of Beyoncé and Jesus," she finishes as she plops down on the couch with a hair flip. "I know. You don't have to tell me."

"Right," Sora says as he takes the spot next to her with an amused grin. This is when he's most comfortable, he figures. Him, with his legs up on the coffee table, and Kairi's legs sprawled across his own on the couch. For a few moments, he can forget about the rat race, the ring on his ex-girlfriend's finger, and the fact that the girl half sitting on him is going out with someone else, and just simply _be_.

His heart swells with joy at the feeling, and it's time like these that Sora realizes just how much he misses having his assistant around when she's off frolicking around with his best friend in the honeymoon phase.

"So, are you doing anything else today?" he decides to ask, because it's Saturday, he's selfish, and he wants her all to himself for the rest of the day. "Maybe we could… go for a walk or something."

He feels her chuckle beside him.

"A _walk_?" she asks with an entertained grin. "That sounds rather romantic of you."

Sora playfully dusts something off his shoulders with a nonchalant shrug. "You know how I do. So do you want to go or not?"

After a few moments of what seems like contemplation, she leans in closer and looks at him almost expectantly, as if she were anticipating him to make some sort of move, but he doesn't. He just sits there and intimately distances himself, because that's what he's supposed to do, because that's what he's seemingly meant to do with romantic interests lately: keep his distance, although it's proving to be a lot harder as of late.

With a heavy sigh, Kairi removes her legs from his, and already he can feel her slipping through his fingers again.

"Unfortunately, I can't," she finally answers with dismay. "I've got a dentist appointment at four."

"I'll take you," Sora offers almost immediately. He already has his car keys at the ready.

"Are you sure?" Kairi asks. "You don't have anything else to tend to today?"

"How else would you have me, Kairi?" Sora asks playfully. "With you, or fucking some random girl senseless in my bed?"

Kairi smiles, because the latter hasn't been an actual option for a while now, and grabs her purse off the coffee table. "What are you waiting for, then? Let's go."

* * *

><p>Sora sits in the designated waiting area of the dental center, skimming through the online news on his tablet, but there isn't anything in particular that catches his eye. Just the usual subway malfunction at so and so station, a business deal of sorts, and a rather interesting article about Mayor Leonhart of Destiny Islands paying a visit to New Twilight for a few meetings, but most importantly, to pay a surprise visit to his daughter.<p>

Sora shuts off his tablet and places it on his lap.

_Huh_, he thinks. He had no idea that the mayor's daughter lived in New Twilight. Sora worked for a big shot industry with plenty of connections. Perhaps he'd met her before without knowing, or worse: maybe he'd slept with her in the past.

He shivers at the thought. He'd hate to be on the end of _that_ tail whip. The mayor, although professional in his words and appearance, looked scary enough, especially with that scar across his face. Sora wasn't one to judge, but it went straight across his forehead and half his nose in a diagonal fashion. It certainly wasn't hard to miss, and it gave off a rather intimidating impression.

After shivering in fear once more, Sora decides to pick up one of the magazines available on the table to distract himself. He skims across pages of _Caelum Industries Weekly_, the magazine that his ex-fiancée is so rightfully the editor-in-chief for. Every inch of the book is professional and innovative to the touch, and it was all because of her creative little mind.

After flipping through pages regarding weapons that he had already demonstrated weeks prior, Sora comes across a two-page spread of his demonstration in Agrabah with Riku. He reads the rather flattering article with great interest, but what captures his attention more is the picture.

Being onstage meant plenty of lights shining against his face, making it very difficult to get a good glimpse of the audience. He relied mostly on their sounds of approval before continuing his presentation, but here he sees their reactions firsthand. As Riku crosses his arms with a smirk onstage, Sora raises a hand and smiles from behind the podium with enthusiasm, and the crowd joins him with their laughter and applause.

Sora pulls out his phone with a grin.

_Text sent to_ **Naminé Caelum**:  
>I dig the two-page spread, but your photographer positioned himherself in the wrong place. It doesn't do my ass any justice.

_Text received from_ **Naminé Caelum**:  
>I disagree. I happen to think that your ass looks fabulous regardless.<p>

The weapons specialist chuckles before re-pocketing his phone.

So this is what Kairi had done. She made him realize his true potential, and slowly made him okay with the platonic relationship that he shared with Naminé.

It's funny, he thinks. She was just a girl, but that's what he saw her as. A _girl_: an actual human being with feelings, interests that he greatly reveled in, a contagious laugh that he was content to listening to all day, and a nice smile. It was as simple as that, and yet she was able to change him for the better.

It's funny, he thinks.

He's suddenly distracted from his thoughts when one of the dental assistants comes into the waiting room, asking for the young man that came with one Kairi Hart.

"Yes?" Sora asks as he walks over to the—now—blushing assistant. He resists the urge to throw his head back with a sigh.

"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, sir, but your girlfriend is pulling quite a fit in the office," the assistant informs nervously.

"She's not my—"Sora begins, but thinks better of it. This isn't the first time people had assumed that he and Kairi were together, and if he'd learned something from it, it was that it was pointless to argue. It wasn't like it really mattered in the first place. "Yes, is there something wrong?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with me," she says. With suspicion Sora follows the assistant into the third office on the right, and he comes across a scene that makes him want to slap his forehead and laugh out loud at the same time. The dentist, a burly, but confused man, holds a numbing syringe in one hand while Kairi presses herself against the wall on the far right.

"Really, Kairi?" Sora chuckles. If there was something Kairi was irrationally frightened of, it was needles, but he'd kept that his dirty little secret seeing as she was well aware of his arachnophobia.

The first time he'd experienced this, it was during one of his blood tests at the hospital, and it was a rather entertaining experience, watching Kairi squirm and writhe in discomfort. But now that it was her turn, he had no idea how to approach the situation.

"It appears that Ms. Hart has a cavity," the dentist notifies. "And we need to numb her gums before we proceed with the filling procedures."

"A cavity?" Sora asks while holding back a giggle. "I told you that you shouldn't have eaten all that candy from Agrabah."

"Is that_ really_ how you're going to comfort me?" Kairi asks incredulously.

"Kairi, come on," Sora says as he pulls her into his arms and carries her to the reclining chair. "Be a good girl and let the man poke your mouth with the sharp needle that's going to penetrate your gums."

"Sora!" Kairi whines as he laughs at her discomfort.

"Sorry, I can't help it," he admits while backing away from the chair. "Now just sit still and relax. It'll be over in like… ten seconds."

"Sora," Kairi calls as she grabs onto his wrist. "Don't… stay."

"Don't stay?" he repeats teasingly. "Well luckily for you, I was just on my way to the door."

"Just _stay_," Kairi repeats for clarification. With a sigh, Sora laces his hand with the one she has on his wrist and pulls up a stool to sit beside her. After a few deep breaths, she nods at the dentist, closes her eyes, and opens her mouth wide.

As the syringe gets closer and closer, the grip Kairi has on Sora's hand tightens dramatically, and her housemate groans in pain.

"Mother of Buddha, Kairi, you're just getting a needle, not giving birth," he gripes, but after he notices her eyelids shaking, he returns her grip with equal fervor and attempts to whisper soothing words to get her mind off the needle piercing her mouth.

"Hey," Sora starts. "If you're good, I'll take you to the beach in the middle district after. We can have our walk there. We'll make up philosophical theories about giraffes and I'll buy you those funnel cakes that they sell on the boardwalk. It's going to be really bad for you, and you're going to get more cavities, but it's okay. If anything, I'll be here again when you come back for your next filling, and I'll buy you another funnel cake after, and it's just going to be this long, vicious circle of deep fried batter, my pleasant conversation, and a whole bunch of cavities."

In response, her lips twitch slightly at the ends and her grip slackens. The dental assistant purses her lips to hold back a sigh of delight, and when the dentist pulls the syringe away, Kairi gives her housemate a look that almost says "thank you" in itself, but instead she says:

"Chocolate, strawberries, and whipped cream, please."

Sora lets go of her hand and runs it through his hair with a chuckle.

"You got it."

* * *

><p>"Sora, what's your type?" Kairi asks as she rips a piece of her funnel cake and pops it into her mouth. To her left, her boss walks beside her on the boardwalk, sipping on his iced cappuccino with curiosity.<p>

"Is that something that interests you?" Sora asks with raised eyebrows.

Instead of blushing in embarrassment, Kairi gives him a face. "Well, obviously it interests me since I asked."

"Yeah, but _why_?" Sora asks slyly. "Are you planning on seducing me anytime soon?"

Kairi rolls her eyes as she rips off another piece. "Oh, darn. You've foiled my master plan, Sora. What ever will I do with myself?"

After shaking his head with a laugh, Sora takes a long, thought-provoking sip before nodding in preparation. "All right. First things first, she's got to be adventurous."

"Of _course_ that's the first thing you'd look for," Kairi snickers.

"_Not_ just in bed," Sora clarifies. "I mean, sure, that's a pretty good bonus, but I meant towards everything in general: adventurous towards traveling, towards learning new things, towards trying new activities. I can't stand people who shut out opportunities for knowledge and adventure."

Kairi nods in understanding as they toss their garbage into a nearby bin. "I see, I see. That's understandable. What's next, does she have to be hot?"

"_No_," Sora answers. "Stop trying to make me sound like some lecherous asshole! Do I really come across as that kind of person?"

When Kairi sends him a look, he places a finger to her lips. "You know what? Don't even answer that." When Kairi swats his finger away with a slight laugh, Sora continues. "Let's see… next on the list will probably have to be her sense of humor. You must know by now that I love to laugh, Kairi, so if my future girlfriend can't genuinely laugh at my jokes or make me laugh in return, then no. No thanks."

"You're turning out to be quite the romantic, Sora," Kairi points out.

"If that's what you want to call it," Sora says. "Don't get me wrong. I like… _liked_ the attention that women have given me before," he corrects, "but if I really wanted to settle down with someone, I want to genuinely like them for who they are, and how they live their life. I don't want to date someone who's just some girl. I want her to run away with my umbrella instead of sharing it—to talk to me until three in the morning like it's effortless. I want to date a best friend."

"Aww, that's cute, Sora," Kairi teases as they make their way down to the shoreline. "I'll let Riku know."

Sora's jaw drops in disbelief. First, Kairi assumed that he had followed her on her first date with Riku because he was jealous of their camaraderie as a trio, and now she was insinuating that he was romantically interested in his_ best friend _instead of her?

If that wasn't a slam to his manhood, then he didn't know what was.

"I'm _kidding_!" Kairi says as she shoves him lightly. "Gosh, stop taking things so seriously! What's with you lately?"

"N-nothing," Sora mumbles as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his pale red shorts. "It's nothing," he repeats in attempts to sound more convincing. "S-so, what's your type, then? Riku?"

Kairi chuckles as she tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Well _obviously_ Riku's my type since I'm dating him."

"So he's basically Mr. Perfect for you," Sora says through gritted teeth.

"No," Kairi answers almost immediately. "Of course not. No one's perfect, Sora. People will always have imperfections, and people will always argue, but it's how you accept and deal with these arguments and imperfections that will define your relationship, right?"

"Right," Sora agrees with mild confusion. "So… what am I supposed to pick up from this exactly?"

Kairi giggles at her boss' naiveté. "Sora, there are two things I want in a man: a life partner, and a boyfriend. On one hand, I want someone who has direction, someone who will face life's ups and downs with me head on, someone who I can look up to; but at the same time, I want a boyfriend—or, like you said, a best friend. Someone who isn't afraid to show me their playful side, someone who also makes mistakes, someone who will always make me feel like I'm a teenage girl on my first date."

"Riku is a good life partner," Kairi continues. "He's got direction, he has a very mature view on things, and I really look up to him for his wisdom and professionalism—but that's the problem, you see. We can joke around with each other and occasionally act like teenagers every now and then, but I'm always so nervous around him. I want to be prim and proper because he's so suave, but I can't help that I act so graceless around him. He makes me feel rather… uncomfortable sometimes. It's not like when I'm around you."

"Me?" Sora squeaks. He can feel his cheeks growing painfully hot.

Kairi blushes as she rubs her elbow. "Yeah, you. I'm always comfortable around you. It's like I don't have to worry about anything when I'm around you. I can just be my usual dorky self, because you're just as dorky as I am."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not," Sora says with skittish eyes. When Kairi frowns at him, he chuckles and pulls her to him. At first she is reluctant to his touch, but when he feels her smile against his shirt, he wraps his arms around her waist and she does the same with him. Despite her height—or lack thereof—Sora rests his chin on her head with a content smile. He tries not to think about it, but her shortness makes them a perfect fit.

"Coincidentally," he then whispers into her hair, "that's… how I feel about you, too."

He feels her grip tighten around his midsection before she says, "I'm glad", and in that moment, Sora decides that he quite likes the possibility of this life—a life dedicated to this one girl that he's never gotten tired of. A constant. Despite their arguments and imperfections, the overwhelming desire to be closer to her was always there, and now, even when she was with another man, he still hung on. He doesn't know why, but he hangs on.

"Hey, Sora," Kairi suddenly mumbles.

"Mm?" he hums, the vibrations from his voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Think fast," she mutters into his shirt.

"What?" Sora asks, unsure if he had heard her properly the first time round.

"Think fast!" Kairi exclaims. Without warning, she shoves him off of her and kicks the water on the shoreline in his general direction. Within seconds, Sora is soaked from the waist down, but a couple of droplets manage to make it onto his grey hoodie. He closes his eyes with balled fists, because he _knows_ that she did _not _just do that, and listens to her laughter fade in the distance as she runs screaming from him.

"Oh," he growls. "Kairi Hart, you have a death wish. Come here!"

He effortlessly gains on her and grabs her by the waist to swing her towards the water, and she shrieks in fear when her feet make even the slightest contact with the coldness of the ocean.

"Poseidon, I bring you my sacrifice!" Sora declares as he raises his assistant towards the relentless body of water.

"Sora, please! It's cold!" Kairi screams.

"I fucking noticed!" Sora yells as he points at his shorts that are substantially darker than before.

"O-okay, I'm sorry!" his housemate stammers as another wave laps at Sora's waist and hits the tip of her toes.

"Nope, sorry! It's far too late for you to earn my sympathy. You, my friend, have declared war. Enjoy the cold!" he exclaims as he mercilessly tosses her into the water. Kairi emerges from the water shivering and coughing violently, but Sora doesn't buy her act. He knows she's much tougher than that.

Defeated, Kairi spits out some water with narrowed eyes and asks—no, _demands_—that her boss help her up. Blinded by his amusement, Sora doesn't realize that taking her hand was quite possibly the biggest mistake he could ever make. With a malevolent smirk, she tugs on his arm and brings him down to join her, and within seconds, he emerges from the water just as cold and just as wet.

"I hope you know you're walking home," Sora threatens, but there is a hint of playfulness to his tone. "There's no way you're getting in my car like that."

"Oh, don't be like that," Kairi says as she grabs his wrist. "Come on, dry up with me."

Sora soon realizes that Kairi's methods of "drying up" meant lying on the sand while basking in the sunset's warmth and New Twilight's spring breeze. They lie only inches apart, in a comfortable silence where nothing needs to be said to understand everything, and when their hands accidentally brush against each other's, Sora withdraws his immediately.

_So this is what it's come to,_ he thinks. Back then, the most intimate actions could satisfy him only for a little while, and now, a simple brush of the hands with the girl he liked was enough to send him over the edge.

And that's when it hits him. The girl he liked.

Subconsciously, he'd just admitted it—his reason for hanging on despite being miserable for last few weeks. He wasn't falling for Kairi.

In between the Nutella crepes, the jokes in his office, and the talks that they shared on the couch, he'd already fallen.

At the realization, he feels relieved, excited, and terrified all at once. What he was going to do about this, he didn't know. He didn't have the slightest clue.

But maybe someone else did.

* * *

><p>"Great job, Sora," Xion says after Sora finishes explaining yesterday's events to her in excruciatingly painful detail. "You finally found a girl you want to be a decent human being to and she's dating your best friend."<p>

Sora sets down his French vanilla with a heavy sigh, idly tapping his fingers against the side of the mug.

"I never did have the best timing," he admits with a bittersweet smile, and the truthfulness of the statement hits Xion with a wave of pity. Sora, like plenty, had a hamartia, and despite all his other, insignificant flaws in the matter, the most fatal of them all had to be his timing—with Naminé, with herself, and now Kairi.

"Oh, Sora," Xion says while taking his hands in hers supportively. She can see it in his eyes and feel it in his shaking hands. He's serious. He likes this girl, and he's absolutely terrified—which was a shame, really, because realizing that you had feelings for someone should have been a pleasant experience.

"Have you thought about telling Riku about how you feel?" she asks.

"I can't do that," he says, shutting down the idea in a heartbeat. "He's my best friend, and he's already done so much for me. I can't take this away from him."

"Then I admit it," Xion confesses. "I don't know what to tell you, but I have faith in whatever happens. If things are meant to be, they'll eventually happen, so just live and let everything fall into place, okay?"

She feels his grip weaken beneath hers.

"Okay," he whispers.

* * *

><p>It bugs him.<p>

It bugs him like a shirt label persistently scratching at his back, always there, always twice as much more annoying than the last.

They try their best not to, but they can't help it. Hushed, whispered greetings in the elevator, holding hands in the hallway, little kisses in Riku's office when they_ think_ no one's watching…

The latter almost makes Sora desperate enough to hang out with Axel and Larxene in the break room. Almost.

He can't blame Riku, though. With a girl like that, he'd probably do the same thing.

It is a Friday night when Sora decides.

Talking to Riku about it didn't seem so bad anymore. Above all else, this was his _best friend_. Surely he'd understand if something made Sora uncomfortable. Like mature adults, they would talk about it. They would talk about it, and they'd figure something out that would satisfy them both. Hopefully.

"It's funny, isn't it?" Riku asks when he and Sora are alone in the drafting room that evening. Months ago, when circumstances were much different, they stood in the same place, discussing Sora's hospitality—or lack thereof—towards his new housemate. Now, one of them was dating said housemate, and the other watched from the sidelines with unbearable jealousy.

"What's funny?" Sora asks as he adjusts his reading glasses.

"It's funny how you meet a girl in a coffee shop, and suddenly you want to take on the whole world with her," Riku answers, the corner of his lips turning upward into a love struck smile. Sora instinctively freezes at the confession, and right then and there, he knows he's done for.

It is a Friday night when he decides that they really _can't _talk about it.

* * *

><p>Weeks later, Kairi awakes to the sound of the house phone ringing. With a groan, she lifts her head off her pillow and glances at the number on the nightstand. The first three digits are glaringly familiar to her. They're from a different area code, and that meant only one thing. She lunges for the phone, but before she can answer the call, someone else already has.<p>

With haste and desperation, Kairi runs out of her room and into the one at the end of the hallway—Sora's room. Without warning, she opens the door and finds her housemate—shirtless, she may add—on the phone, wide-awake and talking animatedly to the person on the other line.

"Who is that?" Kairi asks fearfully. She hopes that somehow, someway, her suspicions are incorrect. Sora raises his index finger towards her, a gesture that tells her to wait as he says a few more words, then covers the speaker with his hand entirely.

"Your parents," he answers. "They're here, in New Twilight."

Kairi nearly bursts into tears on the spot, but she holds the storm back and outstretches her hand, demanding the phone.

"Give it," she orders. With slight confusion Sora obeys and raises his hands in surrender afterward. Had he done something wrong?

For a few moments he watches as Kairi answers her parents' questions with an apprehensive voice, then when the call is over, she takes a deep, uneven breath, and runs a hand through her bed head in distress.

"What did you tell them?" she asks.

"I, um," Sora stammers, already feeling guilty under her gaze. "Well, I greeted them politely, then they asked who I was, so I said I was your housemate and—"

"Oh my gosh," Kairi says, the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "It's worse than I thought."

"Hey, _hey_," Sora calls out. He seizes her by the shoulders and looks into her watery eyes with concern. "What's wrong? Did I… did I do something?"

"No," she whimpers in attempts to put off the last of her reserved image. "You were just being honest, and I just…"

Kairi thinks back to a phone call months ago, when she had told her parents that she was living with a girl named Xion, but now that Sora had made that lie null and void, she was stumped. Xion was in Midgar with her sister Yuffie for the week, and she needed a new cover up. The odds, however, weren't looking good.

"Sora, you may not know this since you left at a young age," Kairi starts. "But on Destiny Islands, we have this… expectation—an unwritten rule, really—that implies that it's practically forbidden to live with someone of the opposite gender unless you're…" Kairi gulps. "Romantically involved."

Sora's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

"Otherwise, it's highly frowned upon," Kairi finishes with dismay.

"Oh, I, um," Sora stammers. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," Kairi says through a forced smile. "You didn't know."

An awkward silence passes, and each minute that goes by guarantees the distance between them and Kairi's parents getting smaller and smaller.

"So what… what are we going to do?" Sora asks, hopeful.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Kairi says. "You're going to have to be my boyfriend for a bit."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations: <strong>_Like We Used To—A Rocket To The Moon_

**Fun fact: **I happen to have both of Sora and Kairi's fears. I can't stand needles and spiders creep the hell out of me.

**I'll admit I had a little too much fun writing the RiKai in the beginning, but then I realized what I was doing and was like: no, **_**no**_**. **

**Special thanks to: **InnocentSerenade, It's My Lucky Charm, KittyKat1217, Amulet Misty, Sookdeo, pokepals98, applebear, Shadowred, 89niners-best-team-ever, Rivendell101, DestinyKeyblader28, Crush-Chan17, Wildgirl404, **and **Ken7700 **for reviewing the last chapter, and to the handful of people that favourited and/or put this story on alert! The support is always appreciated, guys, and I apologize for any missed or misspelled pen names.**

**I hope you enjoyed the sixteenth installment of D&L. Can you believe it? We're almost at the end, guys. 8 more chapters, and this baby's done. **

**Please kindly leave a review to tell me your thoughts and/or feels, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! Onward to the SoKai!**


	17. Chapter 17

**seventeen**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of seventeen._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up six more spaces._

.

.

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Kairi paces around the living room in distress, her steps growing more and more anxious with each passing second. Her parents, who were now on their way up, would be here within minutes, and that left her very little time to calm down.

"Kairi, this is a little soon, don't you think? We've only been dating for like fifteen minutes and I'm already meeting your parents?" Sora jokes in attempts to lighten the mood, but his unsteady and nervous tone betrays him entirely.

Kairi puts an end to her pacing just to send him a dirty look.

"This isn't funny, Sora," she says sternly.

"Right. Sorry," he apologizes with arms raised in surrender. Then, after a heavy sigh, he pushes himself off the couch and scoops his distressed housemate into his arms. "Hey, everything's going to be okay, I promise. Riku's not going to find out about any of this, and I'm going to be the bestest, most behaved, most professional boyfriend ever."

"Thank you, Sora, but you do understand why I'm like this, right?" she then asks as she straightens his tie. "My parents are very difficult to please. They will criticize every move you make and judge every word that comes out of your mouth. They're not going to show it, but they're going to assess you mentally. Trust me."

"Well don't hold back," he says with a nervous laugh. "Please, keep the pressure coming."

"I just… I really don't want them to think lowly of you," Kairi says as she rests her hands on his chest. "Please understand."

"I do understand," he says as he places a hand overtop her right one, keeping it in place. "Besides, I _did_ date Naminé once, and if you remember correctly, her father is the CEO of Caelum Industries. And look: I'm still alive, see? I got this."

Sora groans when his housemate doesn't respond. "Would you like me to go over what you told me earlier?" he offers.

"It would help," Kairi admits with a chuckle.

Sora sighs as he pulls away from their embrace. "Your father is a very traditional man. It's seldom that he expresses how he feels through facial expressions, and he is also a man of very few words. He admires people who are polite, confident, and speak with dignity. He, like your mother, doesn't appreciate intimate public displays of affection. Keep everything to a minimum, if not non-existent (This secretly disappoints Sora). Your mother, on the other hand, is much better at expressing herself. She's also much kinder, more playful, but when it comes to interacting with your partner for the first time, she's slightly more reserved. She also enjoys reading, dancing, classical music, and—what?" Sora asks when he catches Kairi looking at him with dreamy eyes.

"You were actually listening?" she asks.

"Well, yeah," he admits as he scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "It's kind of hard to _not_ listen when you're beating it into my head while I'm changing."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Kairi apologizes. "I'm just really nervous is all. Like, what if they don't like the house? What if they don't like the location? Do you think the lighting is adequate? Is my hair okay?"

"Kairi, _Kairi_," Sora calls soothingly as he seizes her by the shoulders once more. "Calm down. The house is fine, it's well cleaned, and you look fine. Seriously. You look…" he takes a moment to admire her dress, her eyes, her everything, and smiles. "Great. You look great."

She looks up at him with adorably tinted cheeks, but just as she's about to say something, the doorbell rings.

Kairi inhales sharply and pulls away from his touch. "Oh my gosh. They're here. What are we going to do?"

"You're going to calm down," Sora advises. "And we're going to answer the door together," he says as he laces their hands together. "Okay?"

He runs a thumb across her hand to assure her of his support and the gesture makes Kairi grow weak in the knees, but she tries her hardest to stand as straight as possible.

"O-okay," she stammers. He leads her petite, nervous self to the door, and they put their hands on the doorknob together. After a deep breath, Kairi nods, and Sora turns the knob clockwise.

He almost laughs out loud at her shaking hand beneath his. Kairi, although in panic mode, was adorable. Her parents obviously meant a great deal to her, but did she really have to act this way? Sora had survived Noctis Caelum's piercing gaze. This should be a cinch, he figures. How bad could things possibly be?

Very bad is the answer.

The first thing he sees on the other side of the door is a profile view of a scar; the same exact scar that he saw on his tablet weeks ago; a scar that went straight across its owner's forehead and nose in a diagonal fashion; a scar that belonged to Mayor Leonhart of Destiny Islands.

_Leon_hart, Sora thinks. _Kairi _Hart.

After her puts two and two together, there are only two things that go through Sora's head: _oh, shit_.

Kairi's mother walks in first, her expression much more relaxed and welcoming than her husband's, and through the bright lighting Sora can make out a few caramel highlights framing her face. She looks good for her age, he thinks, but she really can't be that old. He assumes late thirties, but he can't say the same for her partner. His seemingly sullen, uninterested expression adds on a good five years.

"Kairi!" her mother exclaims while pulling her daughter in for a hug. "Oh, it's been so long! We've missed you so much! Look at you! You look lovely!"

"Hi, mom," Kairi greets, her voice strained due to the amount of force placed behind the older woman's embrace. "I've missed you both, too."

"Kairi," her father says when his eyes finally land on her.

"Father," she says while bowing in respect. After an awkward stare down, he finally breaks out into a smile and outstretches his arms to embrace his daughter.

"It's nice to see you again," Kairi mumbles into his coat.

"Likewise," he replies.

"So, Kairi, where is this lovely boyfriend of yours?" her mother inquires.

After pulling away from her father's arms, Kairi whirls around only to find that Sora is no longer in sight.

_What the…_ she thinks. She suddenly sees a flash of spiky brown hair on the second floor, and she narrows her eyes in suspicion.

"He's probably just upstairs finishing up a business call," Kairi answers through gritted teeth. "Make yourselves comfortable, mother, father. I'll be right back."

* * *

><p>Sora presses his cell phone to his ear for the fourth time, desperately hoping that she'll <em>finally<em> pick up this time round.

"Hello?" asks a groggy, irritated voice on the other line.

"Xion," Sora breathes, completely disregarding the time difference between Midgar and New Twilight. "Please tell me I'm dreaming, but is Kairi's father the mayor of Destiny Islands?"

A shuffle. "That is such a random question. Why are you asking me that at such an ungodly hour?"

"Just answer it," Sora pleads.

After a string of cusses, Xion complies. "Yes, okay? Yes. Her mother and father are the political dictators of Destiny Islands."

Sora inhales sharply as he runs a hand through his hair. Now he was the one in distress, and there was no helping it. First a CEO, and now a political fucking dictator.

Boy, did he know how to pick them.

"Shit," Sora says out loud. "How long have you known that?"

"Like four months. Jeez, I can't believe you're only figuring this out now," Xion says with a yawn. "Haven't you at least suspected it for quite some time now?"

And that's when the clues hit him.

The unexpected wealth when she first moved in, the spot on etiquette at the Italian restaurant, the ability to waltz with perfect form, the evasiveness towards seeing her parents during their vacation…

_Yes, it all fits,_ Sora thinks.

"_Shit_," he curses again.

On the other line, Xion groans with irritation. "Look, I'm not going to ask, and I don't want to know right now. Let me know about the shitstorm you've encountered when I get back, okay? Good night."

Sora is still paralyzed in shock when she ends the call.

"What are you _doing_?" comes the hushed, angry voice of Kairi by the doorway. She barges into her boss' office and grabs him by the tie. "My parents are down there, Sora Fair, and you are nowhere in sight. You are not off to a good start!"

"Well _excuse me_ for being scared shitless, Ms. LeonHART!" Sora exclaims. He'd been excited earlier, expecting some walk in the park, but clearly that wasn't the case. "The_ mayor_ of Destiny Islands? _Really_? That's something you might want to mention to me next time!"

Kairi's grip on him slackens in defeat. "I'm… I'm sorry, okay? I… I didn't want to tell you because… I didn't want to lose you, too."

And in that moment, Sora begins to understand—_really_ understand the girl in the glasses. Kairi's past love interests hadn't run away because of her: they ran away because of who her _parents _were, and she misunderstood the whole situation entirely. Their intimidating statuses had taken their toll on her self-esteem, and she wasn't even aware of it.

"Kairi," he starts softly. He takes one step forward, but she takes one back, because this is what she's used to, and she knows the outcome crystal clear.

"You're not going to lose me, okay?" he assures. "I'm terrified as hell, but you're not going to lose me. I'm right here."

She closes her eyes as if expecting him to be gone when she opens them, but instead she finds herself in his arms for the third time that day.

"Still here," he whispers. Slowly but surely, she wraps her arms around his midsection, gently at first to test his physical existence, then tightens her grip when it's confirmed.

"Thank you," she mumbles into his shirt.

"Don't thank me yet," he chuckles. "I still might mess things up, but I'll try my best."

She responds by pulling him closer and he willingly accepts.

"Hey, at least I got one thing right about the mayor's daughter that day at the fair," Sora suddenly says.

"And what was that?" Kairi asks.

"That she was hot," he answers. He laughs as Kairi shoves him off of her and walks towards the doorway with long, angry strides. He doesn't have to look at her to know that her entire face is red.

"Sora Fair, you have five seconds to get your shit together," she warns.

"Five seconds?" he repeats with a sly grin. At the last possible second, he slaps her ass before ruffling her hair.

"I can't believe you," she mutters, seething.

"Get used to it, honey bun," he teases. After they pass through the doorframe of Sora's home office, he clears his throat, straightens his posture, and becomes a new person entirely.

"I'm terribly sorry about my absence earlier, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhart," Sora apologizes when he and Kairi meet them in the living room. "I just received a rather inconvenient call from work. I hope you'll forgive their timing."

"Oh, it's not problem at all," Kairi's mother says with a nonchalant wave. "You must be Sora. I'm sorry for our last minute intrusion."

"Yes, ma'am, and it's no problem at all. It's nice to finally meet you," he says, trying his hardest not to let his voice waver. "Sora Fair," he introduces, but just as he's about to offer his hand, his eyes meet Kairi's, and he suddenly opts for a bow.

"Rinoa Leonhart," the mayor's wife introduces with excitement. "My, Kairi, it seems you've failed to mention how handsome Sora is."

Sora rubs the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. "Thank you, ma'am."

The mayor merely scoffs in the corner.

"Oh," Rinoa says, suddenly remembering the presence of her husband. "And this grouch here is my husband Squall."

"Leon," he corrects. He doesn't offer Sora his hand, but he acknowledges his presence with a nod. "Rinoa and I were just discussing the state of your home. I must say it's very well kept and furnished."

"Thank you, sir," Sora says. He sends Kairi a look after he catches her stifling her laughter beside him. Apart from work-related events, she'd hardly ever heard him use the word "sir".

"Pardon me for asking, but a loft is rather pricey in the city, isn't it?" the mayor then asks, but the answer is so blatantly obvious that he doesn't bother waiting for a response. "I take it that you must have a reliable source of income, then?"

_And the interview begins,_ Sora thinks.

"Yes, sir. I work as a weapons specialist for Caelum Industries," he answers with pride. Squall's eyebrows visibly rise in pleasant surprise.

"Caelum Industries," he repeats. "That's very impressive."

Sora's shoulders noticeably relax. "Thank you."

"However, if I'm not mistaken, my daughter works as your assistant, does she not?" Squall fires with narrowed eyes.

The tension returns. "I… I assure you that we keep our personal and professional relationships separate, sir," Sora stammers. "We wouldn't let our, um, feelings, for lack of a better word, affect our performance in the business world."

"Mhm," Squall merely hums. Sora resists the urge to slap his forehead. Had Riku been the one standing there, he would have worded everything over ten times better.

"So the fact that you need an assistant in no way speaks about your incompetence?" Squall fires again. "Are you unable to do things independently?"

"Father!" Kairi exclaims in disapproval.

"No, Kairi, it's fine," Sora insists as he stands his ground. "I will not disagree with you, Mr. Leonhart, because you're right; however, your daughter has taught me that there are things in this life that we can't do on our own. There are a handful of things I can do independently, but when it gets overbearing, I do need help. I am not too prideful to admit that," Sora confesses. He feels Kairi lace her hand with his supportively as he continues. "When everything gets hard to take, I am disorganized, rather lazy, and don't have a good sense of time, but your daughter is the complete opposite, and I have you to thank for raising her that way. She keeps me grounded amidst the chaos. That's why I need her, you see. Her traits complement mine in a way no one else can, and I truly appreciate having her around because of that."

Squall says nothing. His expression remains uninterested, his eyes testing, and his lips shut tight, but Kairi takes this as a good sign, seeing as he isn't disagreeing with Sora's words at all. She turns to her mother who sends her an approving nod, and Kairi begins to think that maybe, just maybe, things weren't going to go terribly wrong.

* * *

><p>That evening finds Sora, Kairi, and her parents at the Italian restaurant that Sora had taken Kairi to all those months ago, courtesy of Sora himself. He, of course, had to call his older brothers to ask for their Maybach because the brunet had a strong feeling that the Bugatti wasn't going to fly well with Kairi's parents. Luckily for him, Squall wasn't <em>too<em> meticulous about his driving, but that didn't stop the older man from pointing out _every single maneuver _that he'd execute differently.

"I'm sorry about my father," Kairi apologizes in a hushed tone when her parents engage themselves in a conversation with the hostess. The restaurant was quite well known but fairly dim, so if anything, a camera flash from snooping paparazzi definitely wouldn't go unnoticed. Luckily, Sora had the entire staff backing him up to help keep the mayor's appearance low key.

"It's fine," Sora insists with a grin. "He's just being overprotective. It's kind of… cute, I guess."

"Sora, he criticized your _steering_," his housemate reminds.

"Yes, he did, and I know that he prefers the hand over hand method," Sora says, not bothering to argue. Kairi, unable to help herself, rests her head on his shoulder and links their arms together. Months ago, they had been on opposite sides of the table, and now, they sat together as one.

"Thank you for doing this," she whispers. "Really, I think it's going great."

"Seriously? I hardly think I've won them over," Sora admits.

"Well, they don't hate you," Kairi offers optimistically.

"That they don't," Sora agrees with a relieved smile, and he can't help but think of how _right _this feels. As he leans his head on her shoulder, he thinks that _this _is how it should be, _this_ is how the story's supposed to go,_ this_ is what they're meant to be—

A clearing of the throat causes the two to pull away from each other in a heartbeat.

"So," Squall starts, switching back to interview mode as he purposely readjusts his knife on the table. Sora gulps at the subtle threat that the gesture implies. "Where did you two meet?"

The two housemates share a look.

"Well, Mr. Leonhart, as a half-naked young woman scurried out of my door after a fun filled night of sexual activities, Kairi randomly appeared on my doorstep in search of a suitable home to live in, all the while witnessing me in all my half-naked glory as well."

Sora twitches. Yeah, the truth clearly wasn't an option.

"We met in his mother's flower shop," Kairi then answers. Sora sighs in relief. That was a good starting point. He could go from there.

"You see, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhart, when Kairi first moved here, she worked under my mother in a flower shop in the middle district," Sora explains. "Once every month, my three brothers and I take time off work to visit her in rotation. I visit her on the final Monday of every month, and that's how I came across your daughter. After I eventually got to know her better and learned of her interest in becoming a writer, I offered her a job as my assistant so that she could pursue this dream of hers. Jobs involving writing here are very difficult to come by, you see, so I figured she'd need an edge to her resume. After she accepted, I'd say it was a win-win situation for the both of us."

"Well, that was very thoughtful of you, Sora," Rinoa points out with a thankful smile.

"You'll have to thank my mother for that," Sora says after he takes a sip of wine. "Truthfully, she was the one who saw Kairi's potential first."

"Delivery for one Mrs. Leonhart," the hostess says when she returns to their table with a bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers.

"Thank you, Shiki," Sora says as he hands her a generous tip.

"Oh, these are so beautiful!" Rinoa exclaims as she admires the pink and white bouquet with excitement. "Squall, look! Aren't they gorgeous?" She then pokes her head out from the side of the arrangement to get a good look at Sora. "Are these really for me, Sora dear?"

"I had my mother arrange it this morning and had it delivered here," Kairi's 'boyfriend' explains. "The pink carnations are a sign of gratitude, for your daughter, and the mayflowers speak of welcome and hospitality. I hope it's to your liking, Mrs. Leonhart."

She squeals in delight. "Are they ever! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Sora says as he takes another sip of wine. Beside him, he feels Kairi squeeze his hand.

"Thank you," she mouths. He sends her a small smile in response.

"Your mother seems like a lovely and talented woman, Sora," Rinoa says as she caresses a few of the petals. "I have to admit that it makes me curious about your father."

Kairi feels Sora instinctively stiffen beside her.

"Oh, mom, I don't think that's—"Kairi starts.

"No, it's okay," Sora insists as he places a hand on Kairi's shoulder. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Leonhart, my father passed away when I was very young. He was a first class SOLDIER at the time of his death, but my brothers and I have been trying to do justice to his legacy since then."

"Oh, I'm… very sorry to hear about his death," Rinoa says guiltily. "My condolences to your family."

"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Leonhart," Sora insists with a small smile. "It's not your fault at all."

An awkward silence passes, and for a few moments, all that can be heard is the sound of utensils scraping against ceramic plates—that is, until the piano player appears for her shift.

"Oh, this song is lovely," Rinoa says as she appreciates the music that fills her ears. "If I'm not mistaken, this piece is by Chopin, isn't it?"

"It is," Sora confirms, recalling her interest towards classical music. "Nocturne in Ebm."

Kairi sends Sora a curious look, wondering how he could possibly know something like that.

"Oh. Are you interested in classical music too, Sora?" Rinoa asks excitedly. She wasn't really expecting anyone to answer her question earlier.

"You could say that," Sora says as he smiles into the rim of his glass.

"Squall and I have always admired people who could play the piano," Rinoa says as she hugs her husband's arm with a squeal. "Haven't we, Squall?"

"More so Rinoa," the mayor admits as the hostess places a complimentary dessert on their table. "But I happen to think it's very classy."

"Is that so," Sora says while looking distantly at the piano. He catches the hostess' expectant gaze and holds it for quite some time.

"Do it," Shiki mouths to him when the Leonhart family begins to speak amongst themselves.

"No," he whispers in return. "I can't."

"Yes you can," she says with optimism.

"No I can't," he insists.

Annoyed, the hostess steps on Sora's foot under the table, effectively crushing it beneath her six-inch stilettos. Sora hops from his seat while biting his bottom lip in pain. He sends a not-so-apologetic Shiki a dirty look before turning his attention back to the family at the table.

"Excuse me for one moment, please," Sora says through gritted teeth. He limps towards the kitchens with Shiki in tow.

"What the hell was that for?" he asks angrily.

"So that you could get your ass up and play the piano!" Shiki says, stating the obvious. "That's the mayor of Destiny Islands and his wife over there. Give them a show, why don't you?"

"What, so you can get a nice little review from them?" Sora asks with skittish eyes.

"Well yeah," Shiki wholeheartedly admits. Sora rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Oh my gosh, I was so just kidding," Shiki says with irritation. "A review would be nice, but I really want you to do this because I want you to have music in your life again."

"Shiki, even if I wanted to, I don't think I could," Sora says as he rubs his hands together. "It's been a while."

"That's bullshit and we both know it," Shiki deadpans. "Now get up there and show Kairi's parents that you're the better dating candidate! There are plenty of people out there who are rooting for you, Sora!"

"Wha—how does everyone even know about all this?" Sora questions.

"Sora, when Riku—otherwise known as New Twilight's most eligible bachelor—is taken, news gets out to females all across town," Shiki informs. "Now go. For yourself, and for Kairi. There's nothing to lose and so much to gain."

Sora looks back to his table where the Leonhart family appears to be watching the piano player with admiration and enthusiasm, Squall inclusive.

Moments later, he is the one seated in front of the piano, his shaking hands hovering mere inches above the keys. From his peripheral vision, Sora watches as Kairi's parents whisper amongst each other, but Kairi herself has her eyes glued solely onto his seated figure.

This is his chance, he figures. His chance to show Kairi that maybe, just maybe, he was the one better suited for her. His ring finger lingers on one of the keys, already growing accustomed to the familiar feel. The rest of his fingers have their fair share of familiarity before Sora pulls them back. His fingers, he realizes, hold a lot of power in that moment. With just one song, she can be his. Just a few notes, he thinks, just a few—

A wave of guilt suddenly passes through Sora when he realizes what he's actually about to do. Here he was, about to try and win over Kairi's parents when they weren't his to win over. This was a job meant for Riku, but for some reason, fate had decided to play a sick joke on Sora instead.

Memories of him and Riku as children venturing across their play island come into mind, and just as Sora is about to walk away from the piano, one of his fingers accidentally grazes one of the keys and presses it down.

The sound reverberates throughout the entire restaurant, its volume increasing tenfold in Sora's heart. Suddenly, he's back in the empty auditorium of his middle school with Naminé next to him, sketching treble clefs and staffs in her book to teach him about the various notes and how to read them.

He recalls coming a long way since then, and his fingers desperately want to prove it to him. Slowly but surely, Sora repositions his hands over the keys and brings three fingers down to play the chord he's most familiar with.

The guilt washes away almost immediately. It is replaced by something that used to be so familiar to him, so dear, something called passion that he had long forgotten when he stored his piano in his attic three years ago. His fingers ghost over the keys some more, and as they sing back to him, Sora's muscle memory returns, and his pace quickens in eagerness and excitement.

His lips begin to turn upward into a relieved smile halfway through the song. He'd forgotten how much he really enjoyed playing the piano. It brought him a sense of joy and accomplishment at the same time. For years his fingers craved to dance across the ivories one more time, but he didn't give into the temptations due to the memories of a certain blonde-haired teacher that it brought along.

Only now does he understand that this is what Naminé would have wanted—what everyone would have wanted for him. For him to share his happiness again, whether it be in the form of a music, a lighthearted joke, or even a small smile.

And once again, he is only able to learn this because of Kairi. It's always because of Kairi.

He lets out a long, shaky breath when he finishes his song. The crowd breaks out into deafening applause, and after Sora acknowledges their cheers with a bow, he turns his sights back onto the Leonharts. Rinoa is in the middle of giving him a standing ovation, and Squall himself is also applauding; Kairi, on the other hand, is on the brink of tears. Sora raises an eyebrow as if to question her actions, but she gives him a thumbs up gesture to assure him that they're happy tears. She doesn't need to say it, but Sora knows that this is her way of expressing gratitude.

Minutes later, after another string of personal questions despite Kairi's protests, Squall and Sora sit across from each other with empty plates in between them, waiting for their women to return from using the restroom.

"How long have you been playing?" the mayor suddenly asks.

"Since I was nine, sir," Sora answers.

"I see," Squall says as he admires the view of the city. "You're very good."

"Thank you," Sora replies. After a few moments of silence, the mayor speaks up once again.

"Why did you pick my daughter?" he then asks. The question catches Sora off guard, but he answers it to the best of his abilities, nonetheless.

"Kairi's a very special girl with many unique things to offer," Sora starts "But I don't need to give you a list of all her admirable traits now do I, Mr. Leonhart? You already know. I suppose, then, that it all comes down to what she's done for me." After formulating a small speech in his head, Sora takes a deep breath before executing it.

"She saved me, Mr. Leonhart. Before your daughter, I'd say I led a pointless life, but she helped me re-appreciate everything and everyone all around me. She helped me find myself again. In a place like this, it's easy to lose sight of what really matters, but that's not how Kairi sees it. She sees the beauty in everything, in everyone, and sir, it is an absolute _honour _to even have her as a friend," Sora chokes. "Anything else would be—_is_, a wonderful bonus," he then corrects.

Squall crosses his arms and looks Sora right in the eyes.

"You're not romantically affiliated with my daughter, are you?" he asks.

"I… I beg your pardon?" Sora squeaks.

"Do not lie to me," Squall says sternly, not bothering to repeat himself.

"I'm… I'm not, sir," Sora admits, misty-eyed.

"But you do live together?" the mayor asks for confirmation.

"Yes, sir," Sora answers guiltily. "B-but I promise you that it has never been my intention to, uh… corrupt your daughter or anything."

After a heavy sigh, Squall nods in acknowledgment. "I appreciate your honesty."

"Would you… would you have her leave me, sir?" Sora asks fearfully.

Squall seems to consider the question for quite some time, leaving Sora to assume the worst.

"No," the mayor finally says, and Sora visibly sighs in relief. "I can't do that to her—not when she clearly admires you." Sora's eyes widen in surprise, but Squall is quick to make himself clear. "In what way, I can't guarantee, but she is very fond of you."

Despite Kairi's father being right in front of him to witness his every move, Sora allows himself to smile in that moment. If even the mayor could see that his daughter felt _something_ for him, then maybe…

"Although, I do have to say that I highly disapprove of you two living together without a stable relationship," Squall continues, and Sora's hopes continue to dwindle once more. "However, you do seem like a respectful and hospitable young man. I trust you won't hurt my daughter, because if you do, I won't forgive you."

"That's understandable. I wouldn't even dream of it, Mr. Leonhart," Sora assures.

"Well then, Sora Fair," Squall says, assuring that his next few words are meant for Sora and Sora alone. "Should you ever decide to pursue a romantic relationship with her… just know that I approve."

And that's when Sora sees it. For the first time that night, a ghost of a smile plays on Squall Leonhart's lips, and he looks quite satisfied with his choice of words.

"You bring about this air of confidence in her that I've never seen before," he continues. "And I can only assume that you're the cause. I really appreciate that. Thank you."

"You're… you're welcome, sir," Sora stammers, unsure how to think or feel. "Thank you for your approval."

"Just don't make me regret my words, boy," the mayor warns, and the sullen, uninterested expression makes its slow return as he picks up his wine glass.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Leonhart," Sora repeats as he raises his own glass.

* * *

><p>"They liked you." Kairi says when she shuts the door behind her. "They really, really liked you."<p>

"Don't sound so surprised," Sora says jokingly. As he loosens his tie, he plops down on the couch with a tired sigh. "Do you really think it went well, though?"

"Mhm," Kairi hums as she throws herself down beside him. "You were very well mannered, and you totally sealed the deal with the piano." She then hits his arm with a frown. "Speaking of that, I can't believe you didn't tell me you could play!"

"You never asked," Sora points out. "And besides, I haven't touched a piano in three years."

"Why? You're very good," Kairi says as she leans her shoulder against his.

"Thank you, but I refused to play because of who taught me. It's still one of my favourite hobbies, but it just kept bringing back unwanted memories," Sora explains. Kairi nods in understanding, recalling that her cousin was quite skilled with the piano as well.

"So… why did you play tonight?" she decides to ask as she hits the side of her knee against his. She bites her lip in anticipation, hoping for a specific answer.

"Because of you," Sora admits, and her heart skips a beat at the confession. "After discovering who your parents were, I think I understood you a little better, Kairi."

With a heavy sigh, Kairi throws her legs overtop his and buries her face in the crook of his neck. "So you get it now, huh?"

"You didn't move here just to get away from the heartbreaks," Sora starts for her.

"Right," Kairi agrees. "It was their expectations. Don't get me wrong, I will always be thankful for my parents for adopting me, but the future they had planned for me just… wasn't for me. I love Destiny Islands and its people, but I wanted a chance to become my own person—someone who wasn't defined by their status or origin, but…" Sora feels her breath hitch against his neck. "It took my parents a while to understand that."

"Well," Sora says as he takes one of her hands in his. "If it's any consolation," he starts as he pulls away to look into her eyes.

She has to know, he decides. After everything, she at least had to know.

"I like the person that you've become," he confesses, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Sora," Kairi breathes. They're close—so close that, if any of them dared to move an inch, their lips would be touching. Sora is the first to start moving, but he stops himself midway when he recalls the image of him and Riku running on the shoreline of Destiny Islands. He inhales sharply and pulls away with an apologetic expression, and it's one of the hardest things that he's ever had to do in his life.

"I'm sorry," he chokes as he gently removes her legs from his. "Kairi, I… I can't. I… good night."

"Sora, wait," Kairi pleads, but he's already halfway up the staircase.

* * *

><p>Three in the morning finds Kairi alone in the kitchen, drowning her sorrows in a cup of Cinnamon Heart tea.<p>

Sora had almost kissed her earlier. _Sora_, of all people, was about to _kiss _her, only he didn't. He couldn't, and she understood why, but she couldn't help it, either. As much as she hated to admit it, she _wanted _him to do it.

She'd liked him first. What wasn't to like? Well, there was the fact that he used to be a womanizer, but that was all in the past now. Everything else about him, lack of culinary skill and all, was likeable. She couldn't deny that it was him she'd first been attracted to, but because he didn't show any signs of reciprocating those feelings at the time, she tried to move on from what she thought was a childish infatuation by dating Riku instead.

In time, she came to learn that Riku was the perfect boyfriend—a little _too_ perfect, she may add. He was understanding, genuinely caring, unbelievably handsome, and a total gentleman, but despite all these wonderful traits, Sora would somehow, someway, find his way back into her heart and sway her back into his direction.

Kairi sighs as she traces her index finger on the rim of her cup. No matter what, it always came back to Sora and that stupid grin of his. It was always Sora.

As she raises her cup to bring it up to her lips, Kairi takes a sip but drops it immediately due to the unexpected heat. She screams as the cup falls to the floor with a loud _crash_ and breaks into uncountable pieces on the hardwood floor.

"Shit," she curses when she assesses the damage. As she begins to clean up the mess, she hears a door open upstairs. The sound of rushed footsteps follows suit, and within seconds, Sora, who looks as if he hasn't even slept a wink, stands before her with relief.

"I thought something happened to you," he says as he takes a shaky step towards her. "I thought…"

"Sora," Kairi squeaks when he pulls her into a tight hug. As she wraps her arms around him, his lips graze her throat ever so slightly, causing her to shiver under his touch.

"Kairi," he whispers, his voice hoarse, desperate. "Tell me… tell me you don't have feelings for me."

He feels her gulp beneath his lips.

"I can't," she eventually chokes. "I'd be lying."

Sora chuckles in relief as he raises a hand to gently caress her cheek, but his eyes still remain fixated on her neck.

Suddenly, he is Roxas in the studio with Naminé. In that moment, he finally understands how his brother must have felt that day. To have the woman he loved with another man, but within his grasp. It was far too tempting.

When he raises his head to look Kairi in the eyes, he suddenly recalls Xion's advice.

_"Then I admit it,"_ she had said. _"I don't know what to tell you, but I have faith in whatever happens. If things are meant to be, they'll eventually happen, so just live and let everything fall into place, okay?"_

And live he does.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>The song Sora played on the piano was Kyle Landry's version of "Passion". Although I can only currently play the beginning, it's one of my favourite songs to play on my new baby grand. I thought guitars were getting overrated despite the fact that I play it, too, lol. What song did you have in mind for Sora? I'd love to hear your thoughts!<strong>

**Also, I hope that Sora being able to play the piano didn't catch you by surprise. If you remember, I did drop a hint in the ninth chapter about it. **

**So believe it or not, I originally planned Kairi's parents to be these super ambiguous OCs. It was only recently that I decided to make Squall and Rinoa her foster parents after realizing that the surname Leonhart fit in quite nicely. That's why this chapter may seem a bit… odd. Well, most of you may not know what I'm talking about, but it's a bit odd to me, lol. I feel like there are a few missing holes and some things I could write a bit better, but I'm going to keep it this way because, let's face it, we all just want to see more of that SoKai action!**

**Yes, they just kissed. I wanted to disappoint you guys with the scene before just so you'd be surprised at the end, haha.**

**Special thanks to **It's My Lucky Charm, Sookdeo, TheNiceCritic, Emi-tan, Code, DestinyKeyblader28, SilvericAnito, Guest, Ken7700, KittyKat1217, Crush-Chan17, Naivette, Wildgirl404, Rivendell101, **and **madelyn150 **for reviewing the previous chapter! Big thanks to those who also put this story on their alert list and/or favourited it! I also apologize for any missed or misspelled pen names. And wowza! We're almost at 200 reviews! Thanks guys! **

**I hope you enjoyed the seventeenth installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to let me know what you thought and/or want to see, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! **

**PS. **I'm pretty everyone's been waiting for a certain scene in the next chapter. Get ready.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **Warning: It's about to get hot up in here. I'm poking at the M rating here. I may change the rating altogether, but I'd like to hear your input after you read the chapter lol. There's no lemon at all, but it's fairly limey.

Oh, don't look at me like that. We all knew this was gonna happen the moment Kairi agreed to be Sora's assistant. Onward to the sexy time!

* * *

><p><strong>eighteen<strong>

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of eighteen._

_Move up eighteen spaces._

.

.

.

Kairi wakes up alone the following morning.

As her sore arms roam Sora's bed, she takes in the smell of his cologne on the sheets and smiles as she recalls the night's events with much fondness. Her cheeks grow hot at the rather… intimate memories, but when she finally realizes that Sora is nowhere to be found, she shoots up from the bed with a surprised gasp.

If there is a feeling worse than the worst feeling in the world, it is what Kairi feels in that moment.

Sora was gone.

The house is eerily quiet and his car keys are missing from his nightstand.

_He left,_ Kairi realizes with misty eyes.

The redhead laughs half-heartedly and pulls her knees to her chest. Of _course_ he left. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she should have seen this coming from the beginning. He'd put up a very convincing act since then. She _actually_ thought that he'd changed, but truthfully, it was her who hadn't changed one bit. She was still the same naïve girl that cared too much and fell too fast.

But no matter the time or place, the realization still hurt like a bitch.

She actually had faith in this one. She thought he was different. She thought that he understood, and to think that he was her first…

And then, a text.

With tear-filled eyes, Kairi wipes her nose and runs her hand through the sheets in search for her dress, only to find that Sora had already placed her phone on the nightstand to her left. She picks it up, reluctantly at first, then feels her heart still when she sees her housemate's face on the screen. Relief floods through her immediately as she unlocks her phone to read the message.

_Text received from_ **The Guy Who Got Some Last Night**.

Kairi feels a drop of sweat threaten to run down her forehead at the new name that he'd set for himself when she was presumably asleep. She'd forgotten that he was an early riser.

_Good morning, beautiful,_ she reads, and she blushes when she recalls him whispering the latter countless times against her bare skin the night prior. _I was going to try and be romantic by cooking you breakfast, but I didn't want to burn the house down, so I just went out to buy brunch at that crepe place in the middle district instead. Might take a while, though. Look at this. _

She scrolls down to find a picture of a massive lineup at the restaurant that she'd introduced him to months ago, and Sora stands at the very back, looking at the camera with an angry pout. She chuckles to herself at the look on his face before continuing to read the last of the message.

_Don't miss me too much,_ he says, and she can already hear the teasing edge to his voice. _I'll see you soon, I promise._

When she closes her phone, Kairi can't help the wide grin that spreads across her face as she falls back on Sora's bed.

All right, so _maybe_ she overreacted earlier, but how could she not? Even Sora saw her reaction coming, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered sending her that text. He did understand after all, and maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as naïve as she once was.

After a good few minutes of staring at the ceiling with a love struck smile, Kairi finally decides to get up and freshen up for the day. Without thinking, she grabs one of Sora's dress shirts from his closet and throws it on over a fresh pair of matching pink undergarments after a much-needed shower.

She productively cleans the mess that they—for once—made together in his room, and when she's finished tossing his covers into the washer, she sits on his bed and attempts to look through her e-mails, but she can hardly focus on the words due to the memories that keep resurfacing from last night.

A hand flies to her quivering lips, which Sora had kissed countless times, and slowly trails down to her neck, just as he had done with utmost grace amidst the dim lighting.

Just as she removes her hand, a familiar warmth replaces it, and it takes a few seconds for Kairi to register that it's Sora's lips that are once again against the back of her neck.

"Hey," he whispers lovingly. He then takes a moment to acknowledge what she's wearing and smirks. "Nice shirt."

"Why thank you," Kairi says as she turns to the side to send him a smile. "I'm thinking of adopting it. What do you think?"

"I highly approve," Sora answers as he kisses her cheek. "It's very sexy."

Kairi giggles and tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear at the compliment. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Must have been because you were too busy daydreaming about how good of a kisser I am," he jokes as he sets down two takeout bags and a tray of two coffees on his desk. He crosses his arms when Kairi sends him a look. "Oh, don't act like we haven't been thinking about it all morning."

"I thought you left me, actually," Kairi confesses with embarrassment.

"You actually thought I'd leave you after what happened last night?" Sora asks incredulously. When he receives no answer, he rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Wow, thanks a lot, Kairi."

"Well, your track record isn't exactly the greatest," she reminds.

"Yeah well, you're definitely _not_ like the other girls, okay?" Sora assures as he sits on the edge of his bed. "I would never leave you," he says as he brings one of her hands to his lips and kisses each knuckle with affection.

"Besides, I kind of live here," he teases to brighten the mood, but just as she's about to use her free hand to smack him, he grabs her wrist and pulls her to him to claim her lips in a soft, gentle kiss.

_Yes,_ Sora thinks. _I can get used to this._

Kairi's arms instinctively snake around his neck to pull him closer, and for a few moments Sora's senses dine on nothing but pure pleasure. One of his hands moves up to smooth out her hair, and the familiar smell of her rose scented shampoo fills his nostrils. The scent triggers intimate memories from the night prior and Sora smiles into Kairi's lips as he recalls said memories.

Last night had been nothing short of a healing experience for him. For hours his hands and lips explored and appreciated Kairi's body, ensuring that he didn't miss a single spot so that he could send waves upon waves of pleasure throughout her entire being. In return, every kiss she placed upon him was a soft, gentle fire that awoke something deep within him, and he willingly surrendered to each and every one of them.

And her _lips_. Goodness, her lips. For months he'd only _dreamed _about kissing them, but he was unprepared for the privilege of actually being able to do it. He knew it was going to be good, but not this good. This, although simple, was transcendent.

"Sora," she moans against his lips.

"Mhm?" he asks as his thumb and index finger make quick work of the buttons on her shirt. When she said his name like _that_, he could no longer help himself.

"The food's going to get cold," she reminds. With a groan, Sora pulls away and brings their brunch over to his bed. _It's all right,_ he thinks. They had plenty of time to tend to their… _other_ needs later on. It was only Saturday after all, and Sora has never been more thankful for a weekend in his life.

"So, last night…" he starts when they're halfway through their meal.

"Amazing," Kairi says into her cup of coffee.

Sora visibly sighs in relief. "Good, so we're on the same page."

"Oh," Kairi says when she snaps out of her trance. "I was talking about the coffee, but…" She nearly chokes on her drink when Sora openly gapes at her. "I'm kidding!" she insists as she lightly shoves his arm. "Why are you being so self-conscious all of a sudden? You're not usually like this."

"I don't know, I just…" Sora starts as he scratches the back of his head with tinted cheeks. "I know I was your first, and I was scared that you'd, well… regret your choice in the morning."

"Sora," Kairi whispers as she tenderly caresses his cheek. "I don't regret one bit of last night. Not one touch, not one kiss, okay?" She then bites her bottom lip timidly and its all Sora can do to restrain himself from kissing her again.

"In fact, I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it more than you did," she mumbles.

Sora chuckles as he brings a hand up to keep hers in place. "I seriously doubt that."

Kairi sighs into his touch and brings their foreheads together in one swift motion. When he looks into her eyes, she suddenly looks confused and, dare he say it, guilty.

"Sora," she starts, her voice weak. "What… what are we going to do about Riku?"

And there it was: the bomb that shattered the delicate, shimmering mirage that was their perfect morning. All at once, her touch grows cold, the air grows tense, and a cloud decides to block the sunlight from their view.

"I, um…" Sora stammers. Now that he thought about it—_really_ thought about it—he had no idea what to do. He finally got the girl, but label-wise, she still belonged to someone else.

"Well, for starters, he can't find out," Kairi offers.

"Of course not," Sora agrees sadly. Although he's disappointed with the prospect of keeping their affections a secret, he knows it has to be done for the sake of their friendship with Riku.

He almost laughs at the word. Friendship.

Suddenly he feels like he doesn't even know the meaning of the word. Here he was, in bed with his best friend's girlfriend, and he _wants _to feel guilty, he really does, but he can't. Not when he knows what it feels like to love this woman and be loved in return.

"Honestly, Kairi, I don't know right now," Sora confesses. "I know we'll have to talk about it eventually, but right now I just…"

"I get it," Kairi whispers as she cups his face in her hands. She looks into his eyes and is reminded of the hurt that she'd seen in them when they first met. Sadness, she came to realize, didn't suit him. "Really, I understand."

He smiles, which is his silent way of expressing gratitude, and kisses her forehead before finishing off the last of his brunch. Kairi, who continues her meal with a distant look in her eyes, doesn't even notice the hazelnut spread dripping onto her shirt.

"Oh, crap," she says when she notices the mess on her neck and collar. "I'm sorry, Sora. This is going to be pretty difficult to remove. I'll buy you a new shirt."

And just as she's about to reach for a napkin to clean herself off, Sora grabs her wrist to stop her with mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Let me," he offers, and before she knows it, Sora undoes the last few buttons of her shirt and shrugs it off her shoulders at an agonizingly teasing pace. Then, without warning, he places his lips on her neck and licks the hazelnut spread with one slow, skillful swipe of the tongue. The action rewards him with a lovely moan, and within seconds, her body effortlessly folds into his when he pulls her onto his lap.

"I think it's time for dessert, don't you think?" he whispers against her neck. One of his hands sneakily makes its way from the curve of her waist to the underside of her breast, and without wasting time, he moves his hand beneath her bra to caress what's underneath.

"Mhm," Kairi agrees as she arches into his touch, and soon enough, Sora is reacquainted with the difference between casual fucking and making love.

* * *

><p>"I just realized something," Sora says as he runs a hand up and down Kairi's bare back that evening.<p>

"Mm, and what is that?" Kairi asks as she lies on top of him, twirling one of his spikes around her index finger with amusement.

"Here you are, in my bed, lying on top of me," he starts.

"Naked," Kairi reminds. A smirk spreads across Sora's face as he pulls her close so that their bare chests are touching, and Kairi whimpers in pleasure at the contact.

"Yes, very much naked," Sora adds, "and yet, I haven't taken you out on a proper date."

He'd already given her all of him, but she deserved more—the best, in fact, but he wanted to be the one to give it to her.

No one else.

"We've gone out plenty of times," Kairi points out.

"Yes, but not like this," Sora says as he laces their hands together for clarification.

"Sora, you know very well why we can't do that," the redhead warns. Sora regretfully nods, completely aware of the fact that they had to keep the change in their relationship low key. New Twilight was full of watchful eyes, and they couldn't risk being caught by even one pair.

"Fine, then this can be our first date," he suggests.

"Well then thanks for bringing me home," Kairi jokes. Sora wraps both his arms around her waist and chuckles.

"Do I at least get a good night kiss?" he whispers to her lips. He inches himself closer only to have her push his lips away with two fingers.

"Sorry, I don't kiss lips on the first date," Kairi teases. Sora flips them over so that he's the dominant one and slowly traces her jaw line with his index finger.

"Oh really?" he asks huskily. Kairi taps her bottom lip in thought, and Sora can't help but feel aroused as he watches the innocent gesture.

"Well, since you've been a good boy," Kairi starts, "I guess I can make an exception for you."

"Good," Sora says before crushing her lips with his.

The bright side to doing it with the same person over and over again, Sora figures, is knowing exactly where to hit to elicit a good response from your partner. It certainly took the guesswork out of taking someone new home everyday, and Sora took pride in knowing how to pleasure the woman he loved.

It had only been one day, but Sora was quick to catalogue Kairi's soft spots and pleasant reactions. He knew just where to kiss and how hard to get her pulse racing beneath his lips and where to touch to make her gasp in surprise, and whether it be minutes or years from that moment, he knew that he was never going to grow tired of hearing his name escape her lips.

"Mm, Sora," Kairi moans as he lightly massages her breasts.

"Hmm?" he hums. She arches her back into him and sighs in delight.

"You're really good at that," she whispers.

He smirks against her neck and adds more force to his actions, and as expected, she grabs onto his shoulders and gasps his name.

"Yeah, I can tell," he whispers in return. Then, just as he's about to continue his journey downtown, the home phone starts to ring.

"Don't even think about it," Sora orders as he makes his way down her chest with hot, loving kisses.

"I-it could be something important from work," Kairi manages through her pants.

"Kairi," Sora warns as his lips graze her taut stomach, but she doesn't heed his warning and presses the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Kairi asks, but she knows she's made a grave mistake when she feels Sora smirk against her skin.

"Kairi!" Xion exclaims on the other line. "Hey, is this a bad time? You sound out of breath."

"Who, me?" Kairi pants as Sora thoroughly entertains himself with her bare chest. "No! I'm just… running on the treadmill!"

Sora chuckles at her pathetic excuse as he squeezes her hips. Kairi, on the other hand, groans as she tries to push his head from her chest.

"Yeah, work it girl," Xion jokes. "It may be hard now, but you'll feel good afterwards, trust me."

"Oh I don't doubt that," Sora whispers teasingly. "Besides, it feels pretty good to me already."

"Will you please shut up?" Kairi pleads.

"I'm sorry?" Xion asks with confusion.

"N-not you, Xi!" Kairi exclaims. "Just, uh… did you need something?"

"Well, Yuffie decided to extend her stay in Midgar but I really needed to get back early to discuss something with my publisher. My flight just landed in New Twilight and it's going to take a while to get my bags from the conveyer belt, so until then, do you think Sora could start driving to the airport and pick me up?" Xion asks. "I'm in terminal three."

"Now? No!" Sora growls.

"S-sure," Kairi answers, and after a heartfelt "thank you" from Xion, she ends the call. After she places the phone back in its cradle, she comes face to face with a very irritated Sora.

"You do realize that she could have taken a cab, right?" he asks, his voice still raspy from their previous activities.

"Well we couldn't just leave her there after she asked," Kairi insists as she sits up to retrieve her bra.

"Yes we could!" Sora argues. "Xion's twenty-three years old. She doesn't need someone to pick her up from the airport."

"Sora," Kairi says with an authoritative tone. With a heavy sigh, Sora gets up from the bed and starts to get dressed.

"I hope you know that you're not getting any sleep tonight when I get back," he mumbles as he buttons up his jeans. Kairi giggles and gets on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek, and almost immediately, his foul mood is replaced with a pleasant one.

"I'll see you soon," she says, and as she walks away with giddy, flirtatious strides, Sora briefly considers being a saint in his past life to have someone like her love him in return.

* * *

><p>For reasons Sora can't fathom, Xion can't tear her eyes off of him in the car.<p>

"What?" he finally decides to ask after he grows tired of watching her stare from his peripheral vision.

"You look different," she says when she finally relaxes into her seat. "Happier," she clarifies.

"I'm always happy," Sora points out as he drums his fingers on the steering wheel.

"You're always smiling, but you're not always happy," Xion observes. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

Sora tries to hold back a smile as he thinks of the young woman eagerly waiting for his return back home and the way she looks at him beneath her long, curly eyelashes.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he finally manages to say.

"Mhm," Xion hums, unconvinced. "So, care to tell me about the shitstorm that you encountered yesterday?"

"The what?" Sora asks, his head seemingly in the clouds.

"You asked about Kairi's parents?" Xion reminds.

"Oh, that," Sora remembers as he makes a left. "Don't worry about it."

Xion runs a hand through her hair and sighs in disapproval. "Sora."

"I said don't worry about it, Xi," Sora assures.

"Okay, fine, you don't have to tell me," Xion says with her arms raised in surrender. "But I definitely know something's up. I totally get it, you're in the eye of the storm, you don't want to talk about it right now, but when the damage hits, I hope you're ready."

Sora gulps and tightens the grip on the wheel at Xion's words. Either he was too transparent, or she was getting way too good at reading him. Both ideas were fairly credible.

The remainder of the ride goes by in silence.

* * *

><p>When Sora gets home, Kairi is already dressed in her pajamas and fast asleep on his bed. He laughs to himself at the sight, but he can't blame her. He's actually surprised that he didn't fall asleep behind the wheel earlier after all the—for lack of a better explanation—hot, passionate sex that they had that day.<p>

After leaning against the doorframe and admiring her sleeping form for a few more stalkerish minutes, Sora heads over to the bathroom to brush his teeth, strip himself of his shirt, and change into a pair of sweatpants before joining her in bed. With her back facing him, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her to his chest. He lovingly kisses the back of her ear and hopes that he won't disrupt her slumber with such a gesture, but much to his chagrin, she begins to stir in his arms.

"Hey," she greets as she turns to face him.

"Kairi, go back to sleep," Sora demands softly.

"But I'm—"she interrupts herself to yawn. "Not sleepy."

Sora chuckles and places a quick kiss on her nose. "You're cute. Now go to sleep."

"Mm, but…" she starts lazily.

"I'll be here when you wake up," Sora whispers, already knowing that she shared his concerns regarding their time together. "And we'll have another day of just you and me. Promise."

The corners of her lips turn upward into a small smile.

"Okay, goodnight," she says, her voice tired and languid.

He presses his lips to hers one last time before she closes her eyes. "Goodnight, Kairi."

And when he feels her fall into a peaceful sleep in his arms, Sora lays beside her with his eyes wide awake and his heart beating erratically as he thinks of a way that could make every night like this, all the while staring at the square shaped door on his ceiling.

* * *

><p>The following morning, while Kairi gathers ingredients for lunch, her cell phone begins to ring. She picks it up with an excited smile, expecting it to be Sora calling her from upstairs, wondering where she is, but the name on the screen causes her to freeze.<p>

"H-hello?" she stammers when she hits the green answer button.

"Hey," answers the familiar, charming voice of her boyfriend—which is certainly_ not_ Sora.

"Riku," Kairi breathes. She turns to see if Sora is anywhere in sight, and when she confirms that she's alone she resumes their conversation. "Hey, how are you?"

"Good," Riku answers. "And how is my girl doing this fine morning?"

A shiver runs up Kairi's spine.

_My girl,_ he had said. His girl. That's what she was, or was supposed to be.

"I'm good as well," she replies in a guilty whisper.

"That's good to hear. Listen," Riku starts, and Kairi can already see the nervous look on his face. "I was about to head over to the recreation center to play tennis with my brothers, and I had this crazy thought that maybe you should come with me. Is that weird?"

"No, that's not weird at all," Kairi assures. "I'd love to meet your brothers…" She imagines the relieved look on his face and braces herself with a gulp. "But I can't," she says hastily. "I, uh… I promised Sora that I'd hang out with him today."

"Oh, that's too bad. It's all right though, I understand," Riku says, but Kairi can still hear the slight twinge of disappointment in his voice. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Kairi shuts her eyes and purses her lips.

"Okay," she manages, and amidst the silence, there is an empty space for an "I love you", but she thanks the stars that he doesn't say it that day. They hadn't gotten to that stage yet, but if they had, she really doesn't know how much longer she could last without exploding.

"Bye, Kairi," Riku finally says.

"Goodbye, Riku."

* * *

><p>Sora hums tunelessly to himself as he skips down the spiral staircase. To his dissatisfaction, he woke up alone, but also to the glorious smell of pasta, which could only mean one thing: Kairi was cooking again.<p>

With hasty and excited strides, Sora makes a beeline for the kitchen, but something catches his eye in the living room. To confirm his suspicions, he walks up to the memory tree and places a hand on the doodle that he and Kairi had painted of each other in the corner. Before, it had only been his arm extending a paopu fruit to Kairi's profile, but now Kairi offered him one as well. Like a love struck teenager, Sora smiles knowing that his feelings are reciprocated and quietly makes his way to the kitchen.

He catches Kairi hovering over the stove dressed in cotton shorts, a pink singlet, and a white cardigan that effortlessly falls over her left shoulder. Without warning, he wraps his arms around her waist from behind and begins placing little kisses on the shoulder that's exposed to him. She giggles and welcomes the gesture as she leans back on his bare chest.

"Good morning," he whispers into her hair.

"Morning," she greets while stirring the tomato sauce.

"I saw your painting," he says as he rests his chin on her shoulder.

"I saw yours first," Kairi returns with a smirk. "How long has that been up there?"

"A couple of months," Sora confesses. "I… may have been miserable since Riku asked you out."

"Mm," Kairi hums as she suddenly withdraws herself from his touch.

"Kairi," Sora says as he moves to stand beside her. She hides her face from him as she places their lunch onto two plates. "Kairi," he calls again, but she says nothing while putting the plates on the island. "Hey," he says while forcefully grabbing her wrist and pulling her to him. "What's wrong?"

"Riku called," she croaks when she buries her face in the crook of his neck. She feels Sora's heartbeat increase dramatically beneath her cheek. "And after hearing his voice I just…"

"Shh, I get it," Sora says as he soothingly smoothes out her hair.

"I liked you first, Sora," she continues, and the confession causes his heart to skip a beat. "But," she adds, and his world slowly begins to fall apart. "He's been so kind to me and along the way I… I fell for him, too."

"Kairi, as much as it pains me to say it, you're going to have to pick," Sora admits. He tightens his hold on her when he feels her stiffen beneath him.

"I want to pick you," she whimpers. "But… but who knows? Someday, I may want to pick him, too."

Sora inhales sharply as he pulls away from their embrace. He intertwines his left hand with her right one and pleads her to follow him upstairs.

"Sora," Kairi says with suspicion. Surely he wasn't thinking of having sex after a conversation like _that,_ was he?

"Trust me," he says as they enter his room. He gets on a chair and pushes open the square-shaped door on the ceiling that Kairi only managed to notice at that moment. He pulls down a ladder, and when it hits the ground, he begins to climb.

"There's something I want to show you before we go back tomorrow," he says when he's halfway up. He turns around to find that Kairi's feet are still planted on the ground and outstretches his hand to help her on. Slowly but surely, she eventually takes it and follows closely behind him.

"You didn't tell me that we had an attic," Kairi says when she enters the spacious, but dusty third floor. Sunlight seeps through two large windows to their left, and in the rays of light Kairi can make out a few dust particles.

"That's because there was nothing worth mentioning in here," Sora explains as he walks towards something covered in white cloth in the corner. Apart from a few boxes lying around, it's the only thing there is in the room.

"Until now, that is," he finishes, and in one swift motion, he rips the white cloth off the large object and reveals a sleek, black grand piano amidst the dancing dust particles. After setting the cover aside, Sora takes a seat on the bench and pats the vacant spot beside him. Kairi occupies it within seconds.

"When we were kids, my mother insisted that my brothers and I each take up an instrument to enhance our appreciation towards the musical arts," Sora explains as he lifts the cover off the keys. "So naturally, since we were all mama's boys, we did as we were told. Vanitas learned how to play the violin, Ven plays the ukulele, Roxas plays the guitar, and when I was nine, Naminé taught me how to play the piano."

"Vanitas plays the violin? I find that so hard to believe," Kairi admits.

"How do you think he scores all the ladies?" Sora jokes.

"Ah," Kairi says when the realization sinks in. "So, you haven't touched this piano in years, huh?"

"Well… not since last night," Sora confesses. Kairi raises her eyebrows with a small grin. "I may have composed something while you were asleep," Sora sheepishly admits as he positions his fingers over the first few keys.

Kairi nudges his arm in disapproval but smiles with excitement. "No wonder you were asleep until noon."

Sora shrugs with a modest grin. "What can I say? I felt inspired."

"So what's this piece called?" Kairi asks with questioning eyes.

"Kairi," Sora says.

"What? Can't I ask about the title?" she asks with a pout.

Sora chuckles at the misunderstanding. "No, you dolt. This piece is called Kairi. I named it after you."

"You composed a song for me?" she asks incredulously, and when he nods, she crosses her arms and huffs childishly. "You know, you're not making this decision any easier for me."

Sora chortles and swiftly steals a kiss from her lips before pressing down on a few keys. He starts slowly, gently, as if putting her caresses in musical form, then adds more force to express the passion behind her kisses. Altogether, the piece remains sweet and graceful, just as he sees her.

"I want to be angry, you know," he says in the middle of the song. Kairi looks at him through teary eyes as he once again picks up the pace with trills. "I want to be angry with the world, with myself. I want to be angry that while you're in my arms today, you could be in his tomorrow, but I can't be. I know what I signed up for the instant I kissed you, and it's not going to be easy, but I'm going to have to live with it."

"Sora," Kairi whispers as she leans her forehead on his shoulder.

"I know that this song isn't going to make your choice any easier, but I'm not going to lie to you, Kairi," Sora continues. "I want you to pick me, and I know that's selfish of me to say, but it's the truth. I want to be the one to give you everything—I want you to be my umbrella girl. You helped me find myself again and made me better than before, and because of that, I'm going to fight. Riku's very important to me, but you're my chance at love again, and I'll hate myself if I don't fight for you."

As the last few notes die down, Sora turns to scoop Kairi up in his arms.

"You don't have to pick right this instant," he whispers into her hair. "But the day is going to come when you realize who you really want to be with. You may pick me, you may pick him, and honestly, it's going to hurt like hell if you do, but I've survived through that once—maybe I can do it again. As long as I'll still have you in my life as a friend, I think I'll be able to live. For now, though, don't worry about it, don't think about it, just let everything be and live, all right, because you're going to feel the answer when you least expect it."

Kairi almost laughs at the irony of his words. They had met under the most unexpected conditions, and here she was, scooped up in his arms and kissing him senseless regardless. Sora returns the kiss with equal fervor, and it grows passionate and hungry within mere minutes.

They hardly make it to the bedroom.

* * *

><p>When Sora parks the car in the parking lot the following day, Kairi turns to face him with a serious expression.<p>

"Okay," she starts with her authoritative assistant tone. "The instant we get out of this vehicle, there can be no more of _this_, understand?" At 'this', Kairi raises their hands that have been intertwined during the entire ride to work. "Is that understood, Sora Fair?"

Her boss scans the empty lot discreetly before pecking her sinfully delicious pink lips one last time.

"Now it's understood," he says as she frowns at him adorably. Then, with much regret, he releases her hand and gets out of the car. They successfully make it to the elevator without any physical contact, but before he knows it, Sora has an arm around her waist and leans down to kiss her again just as the doors close in front of them.

"Sora!" Kairi scolds as she lightly pushes on his chest.

"Sorry!" he exclaims. "That was the last one, I promise."

"It better be," Kairi mumbles as she pulls away with flushed cheeks. The doors open on the second floor of the parking lot, and in walks Axel with a suspicious look on his face.

"Did something happen between you two?" he asks, sensing the sexual tension almost immediately. He then notices Sora's evasive gaze and the glow on Kairi's cheeks and claps his hands when he adds the two together. "Oh _hell_! No way! Kairi, I had no idea you had it in you! Atta girl!"

"Axel, I have no idea what you're talking about," Kairi says in attempts to stand her ground.

"Sure you don't," he says as he wiggles his eyebrows. "Don't worry, I won't say anything to Mr. Sunsilk."

"There's nothing to say," Sora says through gritted teeth.

"Mhm," Axel hums. He merely laughs at the housemates' pathetic attempt to keep their affections discreet throughout the entire ride up. "Oh, you kids are adorable," the older man says when the doors finally open on the twenty-fifth floor. "Words of encouragement, though: first time in the office together is always the hardest. Keep it quiet, you two."

"I can't believe him," Kairi growls as she watches the pyromaniac walk away to flirt with Larxene behind her work desk.

"It's Axel—did you really expect anything less?" Sora asks just as they pass Riku's office. It seemed that he was running late that morning.

_How convenient,_ Sora almost hears Axel say.

"I guess not," Kairi admits when they finally enter Sora's office at the end of the hallway. After shutting the door behind her and placing their drinks on the coffee table, Kairi watches as Sora throws on his thick-rimmed reading glasses to go over the blueprints on his desk with professionalism.

"Okay, I'm going to need the latest report on the Hidden Dragon keyblade for our visit to the Land of Dragons in two weeks," Sora observes. "Then after that, I'll need photocopies of the Wayward Wind blueprints, a report on the Ultima, and then—what?" he asks when he catches Kairi looking at him strangely.

"Do you really have to wear those?" Kairi asks while pointing at her own eyes.

Sora rests his elbows on the steel desk and looks at his assistant with an entertained expression. "I'm sorry, would you prefer it if I wore reading glasses with a nose and mustache attached? I need them to read, Kairi."

"Ugh, fine," Kairi groans as she tries not to notice how attractive and sophisticated her boss looks. She couldn't help that the glasses suited the shape of his face perfectly.

_Damn you, Selphie,_ Kairi inwardly curses.

"All right," Sora says after a few moments of painful silence. He signs one last paper before handing a stack to his assistant. "Give those to Larxene, please, and ask Ventus for the reports if you can."

"Sure thing, Mr. Fair," Kairi says as she bows down to retrieve the papers. Sora raises an eyebrow at her odd behaviour but smirks when he realizes what she's trying to do. Two could play at that game.

After getting an eyeful of what's under her tight fitting dress shirt, Sora watches as Kairi begins to walk away from him with a seductive swing to her hips, but just as she's about to place her hand on the door handle, he gets up from his seat.

"Ms. Hart, I believe you forgot something," he says while removing his glasses.

"And what would that be?" Kairi asks as she turns around, but before she can receive an answer, Sora's lips are already against hers.

The papers immediately fall to the floor, forgotten, and Kairi willingly accepts the kiss by running her hands through Sora's hair. She feels her back hit the door, and just as she wraps one of her legs around his waist, she hears him lock the door behind her.

Kairi pulls away to laugh at the gesture. "This is so unprofessional of you."

"Oh, don't act like you don't want it," Sora says as he trails wet kisses down to her neck. She feels him grind against her once, and she's already seeing stars.

"Quiet now, Ms. Hart," Sora teases as she throws her head back with a moan. "Wouldn't want anyone to hear you now, would we?"

"Damn you, Sora," she groans. He chuckles against her collarbone and hikes her pencil skirt a little higher up her creamy legs.

"I love you too," he says as he pulls on the back of her knee to hoist her up against the wall with both her legs wrapped around him. He carries her over to the couch where she shrugs his blazer off his shoulders and runs her hands up and down his arms, appreciating their strength.

Unable to help himself any longer, Sora pulls Kairi towards his desk and pulls her back to his chest as she rests her hands on the edge of the table. As he kisses her neck, she throws her head back to rest it on his shoulder and places a hand on his cheek to get him to face her, and that's when she sees it: the familiar look of lust and desire in his eyes that makes her grow weak in the knees.

Without breaking eye contact, Sora begins to undo the first few buttons of her shirt and hears her whimper in pleasure when he caresses her breasts beneath the fabric.

"Damn it, Kairi," he hisses. He wants nothing more than the layers between them to be gone entirely.

"You like it, don't you?" she asks breathily.

"Mhm," he hums, but before he can shrug her entire top off, she suddenly spins around and grabs him by the tie. In one swift motion, she pulls at it and throws him onto his leather chair with a smirk. As she gets on his lap and pulls him into a searing kiss, his heartbeat increases tenfold at her dominance. He definitely enjoyed her submissive side, but whenever she took control, he was always unprepared towards how hot she could get.

He lets out a throaty moan when he feels her skilled hands roam his bare chest—when did that happen?—and gasps when her hands reach his belt buckle.

"Kairi," he whispers when he pulls away to admire the flustered look on her face. Her disheveled hair cascades down to her blouse that now loosely rests on her elbows, and her chest heaves in anticipation.

"What?" she asks while biting her bottom lip in doubt. It suddenly occurs to her that this probably isn't the first time that he's done this. "You don't… you don't want me?"

He shakes his head at her misunderstanding. He slowly runs his hands from the curve of her waist to her face and holds them there to gaze at her like she's the best thing that's ever happened to him, which she very well may be.

He's lucky, he thinks. So, so lucky.

"I'll always want you," he whispers before kissing her lips with affection. "I will never get tired of you, Kairi Hart," he assures in between reassuring kisses, and when she starts giggling, he knows that the sweet, innocent Kairi that he'd originally fallen for was back.

She arches into him when he begins to place hot kisses down her shoulder and peels her top off simultaneously. He tosses it into a random direction where it's sure to wrinkle, and beneath her curtain of red hair, he looks into her eyes and discovers that his lust-driven, irresistible sex kitten has returned.

He inhales sharply and throws his head back when she starts tracing his abs and placing open-mouthed kisses on his neck in return, but he nearly loses it when she subtly begins to grind her hips against his.

"Ah, K-Kairi," he gasps when he grabs onto her waist in desperation and bliss.

"Sora," she merely moans into his ear.

"So hot," he manages. He yelps slightly when he feels her unbuckle his belt.

"Quiet now, Mr. Fair," she teases in between pants. "Wouldn't want anyone to hear you now."

"Kairi, please," Sora pleads as he pulls her closer. He quickly grows overexcited with the increasing friction between them that he doesn't even notice the chair leaning back with each grind. Finally, the chair gives in, and Sora and Kairi come crashing onto the floor.

Kairi rolls off her boss and can't help but laugh out loud, and eventually, after he gets over the throbbing in the back of his head, he joins her, and he's ninety-nine percent sure that the entire floor thinks that they've gone mad.

Then, a knock on the door.

Sora and Kairi turn to look at each other with fearful expressions and instinctively begin to freak out. They immediately grab their discarded shirts off the floor and button them up again, and while Sora re-ties his tie with haste, Kairi fixes her hair in the mirror.

Another knock.

"We're coming!" Kairi hollers.

"I wish," Sora mutters as he re-buckles his belt.

"Don't even go there," Kairi pleads. Then, when her eyes zero in on their coffees on the table, she grabs her French vanilla and throws it onto Sora's dress shirt.

"_Fuck_!" he curses as he looks down at the large—not to mention _hot_—stain on his shirt. "What the hell was that for?"

"Just trust me," Kairi says with an apologetic expression. She opens the door, and sure enough, Riku walks in with a suspicious look on his face.

"Since when do you two lock the door?" he asks when he steps inside.

"It was locked?" Sora asks, feigning ignorance.

"Yeah," Riku answers as his eyes land on Sora's shirt. He then smirks with amusement. "Well, I now see what all the laughing was about."

Kairi sends her boss a look as if to say, "See?" and grins in triumph. With that one gesture alone, she had basically covered up for their laughter, the mess of papers on the floor, and his discarded blazer.

"Yeah, Kairi's just a total klutz," Sora plays along with nervousness.

"Excuse me!" Kairi exclaims.

"You're excused," Sora jokes.

His mood suddenly changes when he watches Riku wrap an arm around Kairi's waist to kiss her cheek—the cheek that he had just been trailing kisses down moments ago. He stiffens but pleads his body to remain completely still as the woman of his affections gently pulls away from his best friend's grasp.

He knew what he signed up for, but he didn't think it would hurt this badly when he experienced their interactions firsthand. Jealousy, Sora figures, is only so bitter when you know the taste of victory, and he can still taste it on his lips.

"Kairi," Sora suddenly says, addressing her with assertiveness. "The papers and those reports, please."

She sends him a strange look before nodding. "Right away, Sora."

Riku leans down to help her pick the papers off the floor, but when Kairi pulls away after their hands accidentally brush, he raises an eyebrow in suspicion. He observes that she's rather fidgety today—a little on edge, and Sora looks about ready to eat someone.

_Something happened,_ Riku suspects. Whether it be a fight or something more, something definitely happened between them, and when he sends a text to Xion that afternoon expressing these concerns, the romance novelist knows that the storm is about to hit.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations:<strong> _Turning Page—Sleeping At Last._ Seriously, this song is amazing. I want to cry every time I hear it. I think it expresses Sora and Kairi's love so beautifully, and as you probably expected, the song Sora composed for Kairi was none other than "Kairi" itself from the Kingdom Hearts Piano Collections in Andante Sostenuto.

**I'm not going to lie, I think I burst out laughing about twenty times writing that office scene. I hope you all saw that coming a long time ago, and I sincerely hope I didn't scare anyone off with the amount of… physicality in this chapter lmao. This was actually my first time attempting anything that descriptive and sexual at the same time. I hope that didn't sway you too much haha, but really, like Sora in regards to Axel, did you expect anything less? **

**If anything, I wanted this chapter to give off three vibes: playful, sweet, and sexy, which I think describes Sora and Kairi's relationship fairly well from the beginning. **

**I also know you're all greatly anticipating the drama that's about to ensue between Riku and Sora, but I wasn't about to do it in this chapter. I can't just hit the brakes on the SoKai train after getting on! Don't fret, though. As Xion predicted, the shitstorm starts now. Get ready. **

**Special thanks to **madelyn150, Neko, Sookdeo, It's My Lucky Charm, Crush-Chan17, Naivette, KittyKat1217, MasterKaze, DestinyKeyblader28, Ken7700, Guest, mOOnlite-duskk, Amulet Misty, **and **Wildgirl404 **for reviewing the last chapter! And big thanks to the readers who favourited and/or put this story on alert! I apologize for any pen names that I might have misspelled or missed entirely. **

**I hope you enjoyed the eighteenth installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you think (I was a tad iffy about the piano scene), I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! **

**It may take a while, though, since I think I need to do some re-organizing, but I think it'll be fairly long. If you haven't already guessed, our trio will be visiting the Land of Dragons in the next chapter! See you then! **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **I have a confession to make. I lied—this isn't my first fan fiction. This entire time, I've also written under another pen name. Can you guess who I am?

**Hint:** I'm also known for writing under the Kingdom Hearts fandom.

**Ps.** Thank you to **The V-Blade** for being the 200th reviewer! Wowza!

* * *

><p><strong>nineteen<strong>

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of nineteen._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move down five spaces._

.

.

.

They're in the middle of a meeting in the Land of Dragons when Riku sees it.

As their vice president discusses something with the general (Shang, Riku believed), Sora skillfully twirls a pen in his hands while stealing glances at something outside the meeting room. From his peripheral vision, Riku discreetly searches for the person (or thing, he wasn't judging) that could have captured his best friend's interest so greatly, but Riku concludes that there's not much to look at through the glass walls. There was just a water dispenser, a couple of reminders on a bulletin board, Larxene filing her nails, and Kairi reading a book.

Riku is just about to write something down when his eyes snap upward again.

_Of course,_ he thinks. _Kairi._

He steals another secretive glance at Sora for confirmation. Sure enough, his best friend looks up in Kairi's general direction, helplessly smiles to himself like an idiot, and returns to his pen twirling. Riku nearly drops his own pen at the realization.

That was not the smile of someone who cared for another platonically. It meant something much more than that, and now that he thought about it, the two of them _were_ awfully giggly on the plane ride…

Slowly but surely, Riku begins to form a theory towards Sora's odd behaviour that he has never wanted to come into terms with before, and it was something along the lines of the following:

Sora had feelings for Kairi.

_Correction,_ Riku thinks when he notices Sora chuckle to himself.

Sora was _in love_ with Kairi, but the question still remained: did she reciprocate these feelings? If so, since when, and to what extent?

Riku shakes his head and pushes these thoughts to the back of his head. Personal matters, like doubting the faithfulness of his own girlfriend and best friend, were insignificant in the meeting room. He would address them later when he was free.

* * *

><p>Being with Riku, Sora decides, is downright awkward.<p>

The two currently stand atop their resort in the mountains, overlooking the vast and breathtaking scenery amidst the gentle flurries of snow, but despite its tranquility, Sora can't help but feel uncomfortable.

"The Land of Dragons," Riku breathes whilst tucking his hands into the pockets of his winter jacket. "I always seem to forget winter's potential for beauty. How long has it been?"

Sora merely shrugs. "I don't know, like a year and a half?"

"It's colder than I remember," Riku says after a few moments of silence. Sora resists the urge to slap his forehead.

They had resorted to talking about the weather. Christ.

_How did it come to this?_ Sora figures. Over nine months ago, seeing Riku in the office made his mornings, but now, looking at him was almost… annoying. Why was that?

"Hey, Sora," Riku starts with an odd tremor to his voice, but someone interrupts him just before he can continue.

"Hey guys!" Kairi greets as she approaches them with hasty, excited strides. She wears a pale pink dress-like pea coat and a white knit beret over her head, and all at once, Sora feels the sudden urge to grab her by the waist, tell her how adorable she is, and kiss her senseless, but Riku beats him to it and throws an arm over her shoulders.

_Oh, right,_ Sora remembers. _That's why._

He'd been jealous of Riku before, but never to this extent. He'd always admired and respected his abilities, but now he just saw them as a threat. He knew what to expect from his secret affair with Kairi, and he really shouldn't have been this bitter about watching them together, but he couldn't help it.

He's jealous.

—so _ incredibly_ jealous of the fact that his best friend could just openly show his affections towards Kairi with even the smallest of gestures. There he was, walking with his hand laced with hers, and there was Sora, restraining himself two steps behind them. He watches them with twice the amount of bitterness from before, and just when he's about to "accidentally" toss a snowball in their direction, he feels a hand on his shoulder.

"Man, that's rough," Axel says as he watches the couple in front of them. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll be your rebound boyfriend for the remainder of this trip."

The snowball ends up against the pyromaniac's face.

* * *

><p>On the snowmobiling trail, Sora rides alone.<p>

Riku and Kairi ride in front of him, and his best friend has the privilege of having Kairi's arms tightly wrapped around his midsection. Sora sighs as he recalls the feeling of Kairi's arms around him on the Jet Ski on Destiny Islands. Then, he had felt so needed, so wanted, but now he just felt deserted. His older brothers had passed him earlier, and even Axel rode with Larxene moments ago.

With a pout, Sora realizes that the life he was living right now was but a possibility that awaited him. If Kairi chose Riku (which Sora now thought was highly probable because he was charming and courteous and professional and _look at his fucking hair_), this is what it would be like: a life as the permanent third wheel, the desperate best friend, the forever-alone guy. It had only been two weeks since they'd started the affair, but he could already feel Kairi slipping through his fingers, just as Naminé did.

"Hey, Sora!" Riku calls from afar. "Stop going so slow! Get over here!"

And look at him. Always so considerate.

_Fuck him,_ Sora thinks. _And his luscious hair._

"What's gotten you in a slump?" Riku asks when the brunet eventually catches up to them.

"It's nothing," Sora insists, but both Riku and Kairi see right through it.

"All right, I'll press no further," Riku says, respecting the time and place. "I do, however, know what will turn that frown upside down."

"And what's that?" Sora asks tiredly. Riku merely throws on his helmet and revs his engine in response. A smirk graces Sora's lips at the gesture.

_Nothing like a good race,_ he thinks.

"Hold on tight," Riku orders Kairi, and she is quick to oblige. Sora masks his growl with the revving of his own engine and throws down the shield on his helmet. With this race, he'd show Kairi that he was better.

Riku and Kairi take the lead, but Sora is quick to catch up. For minutes they weave through the trees at remarkable speed, but Sora is the one who crosses the end of the trail first. A few tourists and business associates applaud him for his victory, and for a few moments Sora acknowledges their cheers with a bow, but when Riku crosses the line with Kairi laughing behind him, Sora suddenly doesn't feel like the winner anymore.

* * *

><p>On the chairlift, Sora has the misfortune of being wedged in between his older brothers.<p>

Riku and Kairi occupy the gondola in front of them, and while they insisted that he join them, he refused to witness their cuteness up close. Besides hand holding, they didn't really do anything physical, per se (thank goodness) but Sora could see the way Riku looked at Kairi.

It was gross.

"You love her, don't you?" Ventus asks with a grin. While Vanitas snickers at his twin's observation, Sora remains silent.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Ventus assures. "I'm just glad that you've finally come into terms with the facts and have found someone that you really want to be with."

"Careful, Ven," Vanitas warns. "The atmospheric conditions up here cause sound to travel more easily. We wouldn't want anyone to hear this conversation now, would we?"

Ventus begins scratching the back of his head in embarrassment as he remembers the couple that sits less than ten meters away from them. Sora only slaps his forehead.

"So, have you told Riku about how you feel?" Ventus asks in a secretive whisper.

Sora looks at his brother as if he's spontaneously grown another head. "Why would I do that?"

Ventus blinks up at him in surprise. "Why _wouldn't_ you do that? It's the rightful—not to mention respectful—thing to do. Besides, you're best friends, Sora, and I've been around long enough to witness the full extent of your friendship. Riku's family, and you two have a very special bond. I don't watch to watch it get wrecked by some girl. Have you really been so blinded by your feelings that you've forgotten about his?"

Sora looks into the broken-hearted eyes of his oldest brother. _He's had this conversation before,_ he realizes. In another time, in another place, he'd said those last few words to another brother, and he fears that the past will repeat itself exactly. This is his way of telling him that he was falling too fast, that he was being too impulsive and impatient again, but Sora disagrees.

_This,_ he insists, _this is different._

"She's not just… some girl," Sora manages to say after a few moments of contemplation. Ventus only throws his arms up in defeat.

"She must be amazing in bed then," Vanitas concludes to lighten the mood. Sora doesn't hesitate to kick one of Van's skis to the ground.

* * *

><p>The following morning, just when Kairi finishes getting ready for the day, she hears a knock on the door. She opens it and expects to find her roommate Aqua who may have forgotten something in their hotel room, but much to her pleasant surprise, Sora leans against the doorframe with a smile.<p>

"Sora, hi," she greets with enthusiasm. The way her heart nearly beats out of her chest at the sight of him almost frightens her.

"Hello," he says as he walks into her room without question. "Is your roommate around?"

"No," Kairi answers as she shuts the door behind her. "She left to go skiing with Terra this morning."

"Good," Sora says, and he wastes no time before claiming her lips with his. Kairi squeaks at the unexpected gesture, but she wraps her arms around him nonetheless.

"Well, good morning to you too," she giggles as he pulls on her waist.

"I missed you," Sora confesses with a voice reminiscent to a child's.

"You saw me last night after the demonstration," Kairi reminds. Sora frowns as his hands slowly begin to roam her body.

"You know what I mean," he insists.

"Ah, so you missed my boobs," Kairi teases when his hands reach that general area.

"No," Sora whispers against her lips. "I missed all of you."

Kairi pulls away from him with a chuckle. "Sora, you have work to do."

"I'm not due in the training grid for another half hour," he points out with a pout.

"So then what do you want to do while you wait?" Kairi asks as she sits on the edge of her bed with an innocent smile. Sora leans in front of her and holds both her hands with an expectant smirk.

"What do you suggest?" he asks while tilting his head ever so slightly.

"We could have breakfast," she suggests while purposely avoiding his smoldering gaze.

"We could," Sora agrees as he eyes her delicious pink lips.

"Or we could play a game," Kairi says.

"Not really in the mood for games, Kairi," Sora confesses as he begins his advances.

"You're just scared that I'll wreck you in Marvel versus Capcom," Kairi says haughtily. "Seriously, I'll crush you."

"Ooh, Kairi, I love it when you talk fierce to me," Sora jokes. Kairi laughs and makes her final proposal with a chin tap, feigning innocence.

"Well, we could always watch TV," she says, but by the time she has the remote, Sora is already hovering above her on the bed.

"Any other suggestions, Ms. Hart?" he asks as he traces her jaw line with his index finger.

"Well I _guess _we could make out or something," she finally says.

"That's more like it," he whispers while inching his face closer to hers. His lips find hers in a searing kiss, and before Kairi knows it, their shirts are already unbuttoned halfway and his lips are already at her neck.

"You know, we could always… go a little further…" he suggests in between kisses.

"Sora, you're supposed to be at practice in twenty minutes," Kairi reminds as she arches her back towards him.

"I'm already practicing," he insists as his hands slither their way up to her chest.

"And what, pray tell, are you practicing exactly?" Kairi pants.

He smirks against her collarbone. "Making love to you."

"You practice that like every night back home," Kairi whispers.

"Practice makes perfect," Sora says. "Not that sex with you isn't already perfect," he assures smoothly.

Kairi chuckles as she lightly pushes him off of her. "That was lame."

"You're lame," he says while kissing the inside of her wrist. He feels her giggle beneath his lips as she indulges herself in a few more of his loving kisses, but when he feels her breath hitch in her throat, he raises his head to look at her and almost has his heart rip in two.

She's crying.

"I'm sorry," she chokes, and Sora doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her immediately. She'd had her fair share of guilt breakdowns for the last few weeks, but crying was a rare occurrence—an occurrence he hated to witness.

"I'm so sorry, Sora," she whispers against his half-covered chest. "I… I can't—"

"Shh," he says as he rubs soothing circles around her back. "I know. It's okay."

"It's so hard… making a decision…" she chokes. "More than anything I want to enjoy being loved by you, but I can't when I know he's out there, waiting."

Sora only continues to rub her back in silence.

"This is so unfair to you both," she mumbles. "None of you deserve someone like me. I'm a terrible person."

"Hey," Sora says as he places a hand on her cheek affectionately. "That's not true. We fell for you for a reason, Kairi. You're wonderful." After a placing a chaste kiss on her lips, he looks at her with determination. "Don't worry. I'm going to help you figure this out for the both of us, I promise."

* * *

><p>Sora closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before outstretching his arms and forming the stance that he's most comfortable with. In front of him, Ventus and Vanitas stand on the other side of the antechamber, smirking with their respective keyblades at the ready.<p>

"Are you ladies ready?" Vanitas taunts with crossed arms.

Beside Sora, Riku adjusts his protective gauntlet with an eager grin.

"You good?" he asks.

Sora gives him a slight nod. "Sure."

The nonchalant, careless gesture takes Riku aback, but he tries not to pay too much attention to it. Behind the pillars on the sidelines, Kairi, Axel, and Roxas await the upcoming battle with excitement.

"Ten munny on the twins," Axel bets.

"I don't think so," Kairi insists. "Sora and Riku train together more. If they win, it'll be because of their teamwork."

"All right, you just keep rooting for your boyfriends, sweetheart," Axel teases. He narrowly dodges Kairi's backhand.

Back in the arena, Ven and Van make the first move. With controlled movements, the twins create an advancing wall of ice with sharp ends pointing in every direction, but Sora and Riku hop through each icicle with ease. Ventus sends a current of air in Sora's direction, but the youngest of the Fair siblings redirects it with ease and uses it to propel himself upward and towards Vanitas.

The older, dark-haired version of Sora awaits his younger brother's attack with a thundaga spell ready at the tip of his X-blade, but he is completely bewildered and confused by the large arch of fire that Sora kicks in his direction. Vanitas is thrown back a few meters, but he still manages to land on his feet after a graceful tumble.

"Oh," Vanitas growls when he begins to feel the pain on the soles of his feet. "You're going to pay for that."

"Come at me bro," Sora taunts, and their blades sing upon contact.

"Although he still lacks some restraint, Sora's fire has gotten a lot stronger," Roxas observes as the wall of ice evaporates entirely. "It's a lot more… passionate."

"I wonder why that is," Axel says as he watches Kairi admire the show from his peripheral vision. Her eyes remain glued onto the battlefield, forever impressed by the show that she is always provided with, and appreciates the colourful display of techniques before her.

Axel, however, had been right to assume that the twins could be victorious in their fun little match. Kairi had watched Sora and Riku train enough times to recognize their style, and while they were already great in her eyes, Ventus and Vanitas clearly had more experience and discipline. Their movements were swift and agile, their attacks powerful and precise, but their styles couldn't have been more opposite. Riku and Sora shared a certain bond in battle, and had they applied it now, they could have been winning, but for some strange reason, something was off with their teamwork.

Riku successfully casts three dark auras towards Ventus' chest, but when he leaves his back unguarded, Vanitas brings him to his knees with a streak of lightning. The attack brings a cry of pain from his lips, but he manages to heal himself before Ventus bombards him with another flurry of ice shards.

With narrowed eyes, Riku blocks each shard with difficulty whilst watching Sora from his peripheral vision. Over the years, they had developed an unspoken system: a system that involved them watching each other's backs at all times, but that clearly didn't apply to his partner at the moment.

Sora takes on Vanitas alone, and while he's certainly putting on a show, he's no match for him by himself and eventually gets knocked to the ground by one of his powerful streaks of fire. Sensing his inability to block in time, Vanitas takes aim and fires another streak towards his brother's head, but Riku arrives just in time to block it with a dark shield.

Sora, who finds that he certainly isn't burnt to a crisp, lowers his arms from his face and looks up in surprise.

"R-Riku," he stammers.

"Get up," Riku orders as he offers his hand. Sora looks at it, reluctantly at first, then finally decides to take it after some time.

The feeling of Riku's grip is so familiar, so powerful, that the guilt spreads through Sora's body immediately. He suddenly recalls the same gesture being offered on the shoreline of Destiny Islands as children, on the schoolyard during their soccer games, in the hallways of their high school whenever he dozed off by his locker, and in their dorm room when he refused to get up for class.

The steady but meaningful flow of memories overwhelms him and is enough to melt his previous anger away, and even Sora is surprised by the timbre of his voice when he says, "Thank you."

"Don't sound so surprised," Riku says as he keeps the shield intact behind him. "I really don't know what your deal is right now, but we're a team, remember? Gotta watch out for each other's backs."

"Right," Sora says awkwardly, but he might as well have said it while sinking his keyblade into Riku's back. Every kiss and every touch he had placed upon Kairi suddenly makes his heart ache. For the last few weeks, he'd been so blinded by his newly found love that he'd forgotten what it was like to stand alongside his best friend. He wasn't supposed to see Riku as a threat—he was supposed to see him as someone who made him strive harder to become better.

"So how about it?" Riku asks. "Are you ready to work together again?"

Sora takes a deep breath before nodding with certainty. "Sure."

The instant Riku brings his shield down, Vanitas parts his dark flames with a simple wave of his hands.

"Come on you two," he taunts with a bored expression. "You can do better than that. I refuse to yield to people who aren't showing me their full potential. I'm starting to think that you need a little more…" His malevolent gold eyes drift onto Kairi who shivers beneath his gaze.

"Motivation," Vanitas finishes with a smirk. The tip of his keyblade begins to glow bright orange and Sora and Riku share a look before tightening their grip on their keyblades.

"Riku," Sora starts. "I think it's time for a little Session, don't you think?"

His best friend smirks, knowing exactly what Sora meant behind his words and how to execute the strategy without fail.

"Let's do it," Riku says with his blade at the ready.

On the sidelines, Kairi, Axel, and Roxas watch with awe as the tables suddenly turn. In the blink of an eye, the twins go from winning to fighting just to stay on their feet. Riku and Sora suddenly begin to think under the same mind, and with synchronized, well-coordinated spells and formations, they manage to bring their opponents to the ground within mere minutes.

"Now that," Vanitas says when the tip of his younger brother's keyblade makes contact with his neck. He looks back and forth between Riku and Sora before closing his eyes with a satisfied smile. "That I can yield to."

Ventus and Vanitas' keyblades fall from their hands in surrender, and Riku and Sora bump fists at their victory.

"I'm not going to lie, that was some pretty awesome ass-whippage," Axel confesses when Riku and Sora begin to walk towards them. After sharing a few well-deserved high fives, he allows Kairi to have her congratulatory moment with them.

"Congratulations!" she squeals as she shares individual hugs with them. "I'm so proud of you two! That was amazing!"

"Great job," Roxas says when Sora pulls away from Kairi's embrace.

The entire arena grows silent when Sora turns to look into Kairi's eyes. She nods at him ever so slightly and offers him a supportive pat on the shoulder before turning his body towards his twin brother. The air grows thin, everyone's eyes go wide, and in that moment, Sora does something that shocks everyone in the room:

He looks at him.

Sora looks straight at his brother, finally acknowledging his presence, and offers him a slight nod.

"Thank you," he says, the words echoing all throughout the arena. They sound hollow, but they're certainly something. A start.

Roxas smiles and tries not to let the full extent of his excitement show, but his hands betray him entirely and move to cover his mouth to conceal an even bigger grin.

"You're welcome," he says when he eventually finds the will to calm himself. Sora only nods at him again, and that gesture alone brings their brief conversation to and end.

Behind one of the pillars, Riku watches Kairi wrap her arms around his best friend again with suspicion.

* * *

><p>The following afternoon, just as Sora is about to hop on the chairlift, Riku comes running towards him with his snowboard in hand.<p>

"Hey," Sora greets.

"Hey," Riku returns with a smile. Sora then gets on his tippy toes and looks behind Riku's broad shoulders, searching for a familiar redhead. "She's at the sauna with the girls," Riku informs.

"Ah," Sora says. "So…" he starts awkwardly.

"So I guess it's just you and me," Riku finishes. He then gestures to the small lineup in front of them. "Need some company on that chairlift?"

Sora pulls his snowboard to his chest with a grin. "Sure, why not?"

Just before they're about to board, the young woman in charge of securing the passengers turns to Sora with half-lidded, sultry eyes.

"Well hello," she greets while tracing a finger down his arm. The poor—not to mention desperate—execution of the gesture makes Sora want to gag. "You're pretty cute. I apologize if I'm being too straightforward, but are you doing anything tonight?"

"Excuse me, miss," he hears Riku say behind him. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't flirt with my boyfriend in front of me."

Sora turns to his best friend with a sly grin and Riku merely winks in response.

"Wait, what?" the young woman asks, clearly appalled. "I… I'm sorry, I'm confused."

"What's there to be confused about?" Sora asks whilst linking an arm with Riku's. "We're totally in love."

"Now if you'll excuse us," Riku insists as he takes his seat. Sora plops down beside him and waves farewell to the woman whose face still remains red from embarrassment.

"Ah, the classic boyfriend trick," Sora says as he looks ahead and relaxes into his seat. "Haven't used that one in a while."

"But it still works like a charm," Riku adds. Their ride passes in a comfortable silence, nothing like the one they had experienced days ago, and it's only when they reach the halfway point that Riku decides to break it.

"Hey, Sora," he starts.

"Mm?" the brunet hums while admiring the view of the snow-covered mountain below them.

"Is… is there something you're not telling me?" Riku finally manages to ask.

Sora turns to look at him with a fearful expression. "What… what makes you think that?"

"You've just been acting a little weird lately," Riku explains. "You're more… distant, and a little on edge around me if I say so myself."

"I'm just on my period," Sora jokes, but he is taken aback by Riku's silence.

"I'm serious, Sora," the older man says. Then, with a heavy sigh, he runs a hand through his long, silver locks. "Excuse the following onslaught of feels, but… you and I… we've always had three brothers, right?"

"Right," Sora agrees.

"But truth be told, Sora," Riku starts, "for majority of my life, I've always thought I had four." He then turns to face his best friend with a smile. "You're the fourth."

Sora's heart immediately clenches. "Riku…"

"We grew up together, Sora. You're practically family to me, so when I feel even the slightest bump in our relationship, it really bothers me," he confesses. His eyes then grow weak, weary, and his hands begin to shake. "You… you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Sora swallows a large lump in his throat and nods.

"Of course," he chokes.

Riku visibly relaxes his shoulders in relief. "Good. I'm glad you know that. So, with that being said, is there something you need to tell me?"

Sora briefly recalls the feeling of Kairi's lips against his before deciding to shake his head.

"No," he whispers. After that little speech, there was no way he could tell him. He didn't deserve that. He deserved honesty, but the truth was too painful, too heartbreaking, that he couldn't bear to even utter one word of it.

"Are you sure?" Riku presses with suspicion.

"I'm sure," Sora replies.

"All right then," Riku says as he hops off the lift with a look that almost looks like disappointment. "Just remember that I'm always here for you, man. Always."

Sora acknowledges his words with a sad smile. "Yeah, I know."

* * *

><p>When Kairi makes her decision, it is in the middle of her skating date with Riku.<p>

Step by step, he guides her through the outdoor rink on their resort, careful not to hit the other couples skating around them. Riku knew how to do pretty much everything, and while that was undoubtedly impressive and beneficial, Kairi mostly saw it as intimidating. Although he was completely modest about it, she always felt compelled to catch up to him, to be as good as him, just to be worthy to stand by his side, but no matter what she did, she always felt like she was dragging him down. No matter what he said, she'd always feel insecure.

Riku could undoubtedly support her her entire life, but on the other hand, Sora made her _live_. Stability was always a good promise, but she was the kind of girl who enjoyed spontaneity as well.

Moreover, learning, Kairi figures, is a dish best shared between two people. It's a two-way experience, and while she had plenty to learn from Riku, she didn't have much to offer him in return. With Sora—well, there was plenty they could teach each other, and he openly made mistakes. Had he been the one standing next to her, he probably would have slipped countless times, but at least she'd know what _not_ to do. In various ways, they consistently learned from each other, and that gave them an opportunity to figure things out together—to grow together.

Riku suddenly squeezes her hand when he notices her looking off into the distance distractedly.

"I'm okay," Kairi insists, and Riku proceeds with her lesson despite the look of doubt etched onto his face.

As he grabs hold of both her hands, Kairi inwardly sighs at the lack of excitement she feels towards the contact. Holding Riku's hands had been great in the first few weeks, but now they just felt like hands. Sora, however, could make her grow weak in the knees with just one _look _since the very beginning. Just seeing him made her heart want to leap out of her chest, and every time she looked at him, she'd have the same butterflies from the first time they met.

And had he been the one holding her hands, he'd make her feel like there was no one else on the rink despite the odd looks that they'd receive due to their loudness. It would just be him and her. No one else.

"Kairi," Riku says as he waves a hand in her face. "You're doing it again."

"S-sorry," Kairi stammers with embarrassment. "We can keep going."

"Are you sure?" Riku asks. "You've been awfully spacey this whole time," he observes, but he holds back the urge to ask what she's thinking about. He'd only formed his theory a few days ago, and he didn't want to put her on the spot unless he'd confirmed his suspicions himself. "Would you like to go back to the hotel and rest?"

"Uh…" Kairi starts as Riku supportively brushes his thumb across her gloved hand. The warm feeling is faint, but her heart barely skips a beat.

"Sure," she answers, and the walk to the hotel passes in an awkward silence.

* * *

><p>Late into that evening, when she and Riku get back from their date, Kairi catches Sora sitting by the fireplace on her floor.<p>

He sits on the couch, gazing at the fire that is reflected not only in his irises, but his mood as well. He mulls over the day's events with a sullen expression and sighs as he drowns his sorrows in a cup of hot chocolate.

"Hey Sora," Kairi greets as she sits next to him. Their shoulders brush ever so slightly, and that alone is enough to make Kairi jump.

"Hey," he greets in a soft whisper. Kairi looks back and scans the hallway, confirming that everyone was asleep and nowhere in sight, before scooting closer to her housemate. "What's wrong?" she asks as she hugs his arm.

Sora sighs and gently retreats from her touch while placing his mug on the coffee table. "I don't deserve to be this close to you."

Kairi raises her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I went snowboarding with Riku this afternoon," he answers vaguely, his eyes still fixated on the fire.

"Yeah, he told me," Kairi says. "He said it was the greatest time you've had together in a long while."

A ghost of a smile appears on Sora's lips as he recalls the sound of their laughter echoing throughout the entire mountain. "Yeah, it was."

"So why are you upset?" Kairi asks with concern. Sora takes a sharp intake of breath.

"I'm upset because… because he's so much better for you," he admits hoarsely. "He's literally perfect, Kairi, and he's the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for. As for me, well…" Sora balls his hands into fists. "I'm selfish, I'm bitter, and you don't deserve that, and neither does he, but I just can't help myself around you. I want to be with you more than anything, and I want to fight for you, too, I really do, but it's hard when I know in my heart that you'll be better off with him."

"Sora," Kairi whispers as she pulls him into an embrace. He immediately clings onto her in desperation.

"You said you couldn't choose," he mumbles into her sweater. "So I'm choosing for you."

"Sora, please," Kairi pleads as she pulls away to look at him.

"I'm sorry," he whimpers. "You don't have to listen to what I'm saying. In fact, you really shouldn't be seeing me in my moment of weakness anyway. If I ever want to stand a chance I at least have to be strong and manly around you—"Kairi shushes him with a finger to his lips.

"Sora, don't you get it?" she asks. "This sensitivity of yours is one of the things I love about you. You can wholeheartedly admit that you don't always have it together, that you're not fully composed, and I'm completely fine with that. I'm actually so relieved that you can be this honest with me and that you're comfortable showing this side of yourself around me."

"Really?" he asks, completely unconvinced. Kairi lifts the bottom of his chin so that she can kiss him square on the lips.

"Really," she answers. "And now that we're having this conversation, I think now's a good time to tell you that I've made my decision."

This new information takes Sora aback.

"Y-you have?" her housemate squeaks.

"Yes," Kairi says, and when she inches closer to press her lips against his once more, Sora feels the wind knock right out of him. "I choose you, Sora."

"Wha…" he starts dreamily. "Are… are you sure?" When Kairi nods, Sora is quick to wrap his arms around her again.

"Don't look at me right now," he pleads as he smiles into her shoulder. "I'm smiling like an idiot and I don't want you to see how un-cool I look."

Kairi chuckles as she snuggles into his warm embrace. "You don't need to hide from me, Sora."

He raises his head to look at her with his signature grin gracing his lips. "I know."

After kissing her forehead affectionately, he pulls her to his chest and rests his cheek on her head for a few moments, relishing in the glorious moment, but behind the entryway to their right, Riku secretly leans against the wall with crossed arms, not missing a single word.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for! I'm not going to lie though—I'm not very fond of this chapter. There were so many ways I could take it, and it was very difficult to choose a direction without writing one of the characters unconvincingly. Never in my life have I been so frustrated writing something, but I hope it finally turned out okay after my eight rewrites (okay, more like six or seven haha). I still don't like it, but we all have our chapters. Let me know how you think it turned out!<strong>

**Special thanks to **Nano1012, The V-Blade, Blade1, It's My Lucky Charm, DestinyKeyblader28, Sookdeo, Amulet Misty, TheNiceCritic, Naivette, Crush-Chan17, Guest, Wildgirl404, madelyn150, Rivendell101, **and **Ken7700 **for reviewing the last chapter and to those who put this story on alert and/or favourited it! Big thanks to **Redeeming Endeavor **as well for putting up with my desperation and late night shenanigans towards the difficulty of this chapter. Props to you, man.**

**I hope you enjoyed the nineteenth installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap! Onward to the trouble!**

**PS. **If you have time, don't forget to leave a guess in regards to my other identity! I don't think it should be _too_ hard to figure out who I really am.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Thank you for the 13,000+ hits and for all the people who participated in the guessing game! I have to admit that some of you were quite humorous with your reasoning.

Here's the current scoreboard:  
><strong>Redeeming Endeavor:<strong> 2  
><strong>xoKyorii:<strong> 9  
><strong>Jomatto:<strong> 4  
><strong>Jomatto's girlfriendalter ego:** 1 (Redeeming Endeavor is very angry with whoever guessed this one. Jomatto is his one and only and they're totally in love)  
><strong>Collaboration:<strong> 1

Are you ready for the moment of truth then? All right.

Contrary to what you may have seen on Jomatto and RE's profiles/tumblrs lately, I'm actually **xoKyorii**. Yes, congratulations to the majority of you who got it right! As for those of you who guessed that I was one of my partners in crime—well, you're not entirely wrong. They've known about this since the beginning. However, I would like to point out that it clearly says "she" on my profile (lol), but I wouldn't be surprised if they trolled you like that.

Boys, if you're reading this, don't look at me like that. You know you would have done it.

My reasons for a new account will become clear after the chapter, so until then, enjoy! (But I'm not gonna lie—the next few chapters are quite serious.) This chapter is also fairly short in comparison to the others, but I hope you like it anyway! Onward to the drama!

* * *

><p><strong>twenty<strong>

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of twenty._

_You land on a dusk._

_Move down seven spaces._

.

.

.

For reasons Kairi cannot fathom, Riku is unusually evasive at work the following Monday.

Whenever they'd cross paths in the hallway, he'd immediately sidestep to the right without even the slightest hint of eye contact, and whenever she'd place files on his desk, he'd only acknowledge the gesture with a microscopic nod. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that Riku was ignoring her.

_But that doesn't make sense,_ Kairi thinks with confusion. _Unless, of course…_

"I think he already knows," Sora whispers when he shuts the door behind him in his office.

"What?" Kairi asks anxiously. She begins pacing around his coffee table in distress.

"I've been meaning to invite him over so that we could talk about your decision over dinner like we planned, but he won't even look at me," Sora informs with dismay.

"Oh my gosh," Kairi whimpers as she runs both her hands through her hair. "I should've known it wasn't going to be this easy."

"Hey," Sora says as he grabs both her wrists to pull her to him. "It's just a theory," he reminds. "Maybe he's just in a bad mood."

"I sincerely doubt that," Kairi mumbles into his dress shirt.

"So do I," Sora admits with a sigh. He's known Riku for years, and that was definitely his behavioural pattern when he was pissed beyond belief. The squared shoulders, the narrowed eyes, the consistent evasiveness—it all fit.

"But I could still be right," Sora offers with optimism, but even Kairi can feel that it's forced. She knows—they both know.

They're already too late.

* * *

><p>Much to their dismay, days pass and the two housemates come to realize that Sora's theory is indeed correct.<p>

Riku comes into work much later than usual, he still refuses to have a decent conversation—or any conversation at all—with any of them, he no longer shows up to their scheduled practices, and he recently requested that all his future demonstrations be rescheduled and changed into solo ones.

Kairi decides to confront him about it on a Wednesday.

"Aren't we going to talk about this?" she asks when she barges into his office without warning. Riku looks up from his computer screen and begins to rub his temples in annoyance. People were already stealing secretive glances at them in the hallway, and if he didn't acknowledge her now, Kairi would only create an even bigger scene, and personal outbreaks weren't exactly praised in the workplace.

"What is there to talk about?" he asks, his voice quiet, calm, and hollow.

"Us," Kairi answers with a shaky voice. Riku's eyes immediately thin into daggers.

"There is no us," he points out simply. "There has never been an _us_. There's always been me, and you, and Sora. In a relationship, there's only room for two people, but you don't seem to understand that."

"Riku, I'm sorry," Kairi says while fighting the tears that already threaten to spill from her eyes. "But if you'd just hear me out—"

"No," he answers sternly. "This isn't something you ask of me when you've already been with someone else. You could have at least _talked_ to me about it beforehand. It would still hurt like hell, but at least we wouldn't be in this situation. Instead, you just left me to put the pieces together while I stood on the sidelines like a fool."

"Riku, believe me, that wasn't my intention—"Kairi starts.

"I know," he says tiredly. He knows that it's partly his fault. He'd been so naïve to think that his own best friend wouldn't fall for someone like Kairi—and on top of that, he was around her almost 24/7. That alone was like dangling a piece of candy in front of a baby. He really should've seen this coming, and he really should've addressed it earlier, but on a childish whim, he became stupid enough to trust them both.

"I know," Riku repeats. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Please leave."

"Riku," Kairi cries.

"Don't make me ask you again," Riku pleads, because despite what she's done, he can't bear to see her this way.

Kairi finally gives into her tears when she walks out of his office and passes Sora on her way to the end of the hallway.

"Kairi," he calls softly, but she only brushes him off when he grabs hold of her wrist and continues her way into his office. With balled fists Sora makes his way to his best friend's office, but Riku doesn't hesitate to ignore him. He doesn't even spare him one merciless glance. All there is the sound of reality sinking in, and it sounds like a door slamming in his face.

It is at this moment that Sora realizes the true consequences of his actions. Even if their friendship were to somehow succeed amidst the chaos, things were never going to be the same. Not when he knew what it felt like to have Kairi's lips pressed onto his, to have her naked chest against his own, to have their hearts beat as one when she rightfully belonged to someone else.

In that moment, he is Roxas, and Sora finally understands how much it hurts to be ignored by his own brother.

* * *

><p>"What are we going to do?" Sora asks as he buries his face in the crook of Kairi's neck. He sounds weak, just as he had on the morning of his third hangover.<p>

Kairi, who sits on Sora's lap, snuggles closer to him with a heavy sigh. He traces a finger over her arms, her waist, her legs, memorizing every curve and feeling of her body curled next to his.

"It's simple," she mumbles as she rests her cheek on his head. "We have to try and go back to the way things were before."

Sora pulls away to send Kairi a fearful glance. "What do you mean?"

"To the beginning when we were all friends," Kairi answers. "When I wasn't with either of you, just to make things fair. And maybe, just maybe, if we start over, we can figure things out from there. For now though, you and me… we have to stop being attracted to each other."

"Oh, because that's going to be so easy!" Sora yells as he throws his hands up in defeat, and his sudden increase in volume takes his almost girlfriend by surprise. "Kairi, I'm _in love_ with you," he proclaims, and the certainty and openness of his declaration makes her shudder in pleasure. "I can't just stop being attracted to you. No matter what we do, things aren't going to be the same."

"But we can at least try, Sora," Kairi says. Sora feels her grab a fistful of his shirt beneath her hands as she balls them over his chest. "You have no idea how much it pains me to see you two like this—to see him walk past you like you're nothing. You have the strongest friendship I have ever witnessed, and I've believed that ever since the both of you stepped into your mother's flower shop all those months ago. I can't imagine how much you've been through together and how much you've sacrificed over the years for each other's happiness. I don't want to get in the way of that anymore, Sora, so please," she pleads. "Please try."

He looks into her desperate, tear-filled eyes and shuts his own in response. Seeing Kairi sad was something he definitely didn't enjoy seeing, but he'd been raised by a woman his whole life. He knew a thing or two about confronting them when they were upset.

"Okay," he whispers as he kisses her lips as a comforting gesture. "I'll try."

"Sora," Kairi mumbles as she eyes his lips with a frown. "You know that means you can't do that anymore."

Sora groans as his body crashes onto hers.

"This is going to be a long night."

* * *

><p>The following morning, Sora and Kairi enter the office at different times in attempts to distance themselves from each other.<p>

"What's going on?" Larxene asks when Kairi exits the elevator a good five minutes after Sora had clocked in. Axel and Roxas, who lean against the secretary's work desk with crossed arms, share a look before shrugging in response.

In his office, Riku merely scoffs at their pathetic attempt.

"Do you think it worked?" Kairi asks when she enters her boss' office with hasty and discreet strides.

"Not in the least bit," Sora replies when his assistant shuts the door behind her.

"Darn it," Kairi says as she childishly stomps her foot with a pout. Sora groans.

"Don't do that," he implores.

"Do what?" Kairi asks with an even bigger pout, completely oblivious to the power of her actions.

"_That_," Sora answers as an inescapable force pulls his body to hers. "It's making me want to kiss you so badly but I can't."

The blunt confession makes Kairi blush while she makes the mistake of looking into Sora's glistening blue eyes. He places his hands on either side of her head, trapping her in place, and uses one hand to trace her jaw line with affection. He eyes her sinfully delicious lips with skittish eyes and feels his own tingle with anticipation as he recalls the brief, but blissful feeling of having her wet lips pressed against his own when he pecked them. Temptation eventually gets the best of him, and he proceeds in inching closer, and closer, and closer…

Kairi suddenly pulls a binder to her chest and looks at her lover with determination.

"I'm going to go make more photocopies," she suggests. After realizing how awfully close his face is to hers, Sora immediately backs up, shakes his head, and offers to open the door for her.

"Good idea."

* * *

><p>Two weeks later, New Twilight is faced with its first thunderstorm of the year.<p>

Kairi lies alone on her bed, facing the relentless rainfall and blurry city lights through her wall made entirely of—now wet—windows. There is a space behind her where someone should be with his strong, tanned arms wrapped around her, but there is nothing but a cold, empty space. Kairi closes her eyes in attempts to think better of it, but her will is thrown out the window when she hears her bedroom door slide to the side.

"No," she whimpers when she feels the familiarity of his weight on her bed. His chin finds refuge on her shoulder and his arms instinctively wrap around her waist, but she still refuses to look at him. Another bolt of lightning strikes in a faraway distance, and the sound of thunder follows suit. She feels his entire body stiffen behind her at the sound, but she only sighs.

"Kairi, please," Sora pleads.

After what seems like ages, she finally turns to face him and places her warm hands on his bare chest, feeling his heartbeat increase dramatically beneath her fingertips. He pulls her closer to him and just holds her there, embracing the feeling of having her body crushed against his, of having her close.

Their relationship wasn't solely based on physical interactions, and their two touch-free weeks could fully attest to that, but not being able to show the woman he loved how much he actually loved her with physical gestures when she was _right there_ was almost torture. He needed to have her near; he needed her to_ feel_ how much he loved her, and feel her heart beat against his in return.

"Sora," Kairi warns when he begins to place light kisses on her neck.

"I'm sorry, Kairi. I can't take it anymore," he whispers as he tightens his grip on her waist. "Not when you're right next to me."

Kairi tries to suppress a moan as Sora shamelessly continues his advances, but she eventually fails and surrenders to his kisses wholeheartedly. Two weeks of being deprived of those lips had left her needy and desperate for his touch, and there was no stopping now.

"We're really bad at this," she murmurs when her lips find his in a searing kiss.

"I know," Sora whispers, and they resume what they had started under her covers.

* * *

><p>Xion enters the small—albeit busy—ramen bar partially wet from the rain with her dripping umbrella in hand. After shaking both herself and the umbrella off by the entrance, she begins to search for her companion amidst the sea of people.<p>

It shouldn't be too difficult to find him. He's hard to miss, she thinks. He's always been quite the looker, after all.

She eventually finds him sitting alone on a booth to her right. She doesn't need to call his name to capture his attention. Somehow, he already knows, and when he raises his head, his aquamarine eyes immediately lock with her cobalt ones. She offers him a sad smile as she makes her way to him, but before she can reach their table, he's already on his feet and wrapping his arms around her damp body despite being in a public place.

"Riku," she mumbles against his shirt. She can already feel him shaking through her black pea coat.

If there was one thing Riku never did, it was cry, and he wasn't going to start today. Admitting that he needed physical comfort, however, was his equivalent.

And for a while, there they are: two unlucky and woeful subjects of injustice—two broken pieces, folding into each other perfectly.

"I'm sorry," Xion says in behalf of Sora and Kairi. This is the part where he's supposed to insist that he's fine, Xion thinks, but he doesn't say it, and she completely gets why he doesn't.

It's because he's most definitely _not _fine. Not this time. He'd had his fair share of arguments with Sora in the past, but they were nothing close to this extent.

Riku continues to keep quiet when they finally take their seats, and by silent, mutual agreement, Xion doesn't bombard him with questions regarding the situation right away. His silence speaks volumes to her, and right now it tells her that he just wants to find comfort in her presence. If and when he wanted to talk about it, he would be the one to start the conversation.

He starts it when their orders are set in front of them.

"You know what hurts the most?" he asks as he breaks his chopsticks in half. "The fact that they've been perfect for each other all along. That absolutely nothing I've done up to this point could have changed the inevitable in even the slightest way. I should be happy that he's finally found someone after all he's been through after Naminé, but I'm really, really angry."

"And you should be," Xion says. "It's completely understandable, Riku. You've given him everything, and he took the one thing you wanted. You have every right to be angry."

Riku sighs. "I wish I didn't have to be. I wish I didn't have to be disappointed."

"But it happened," she reminds sullenly.

"I know," Riku says. "I just didn't think he had it in him to do that. I trusted him and believed that he valued our friendship enough to respect my relationship, but I suppose I was wrong."

"He does value your friendship, Riku," Xion assures. "But surely you must understand how difficult it must have been for him to hold back for as long as he did. He tried, Riku, he really did. I saw him. He just couldn't help himself when he realized that his feelings weren't unrequited."

"So you're siding with him?" Riku asks incredulously.

"No," Xion answers. "I usually don't side with anyone, but I'm with you on this one, even if they are my friends. They really should have known better than to hide it from you."

Riku rubs his temples while nodding in agreement. "So I'm thinking that the mature thing to do now would be to just talk it over, try to understand, and get over it like I usually do, but… I really don't think it's going to be that easy."

"It's not," Xion admits. "Trust me Riku, I know. This isn't something that can be fixed with one night's worth of green apple elixir shots, triple chocolate explosion ice cream, and cheesy romance movies with unrealistic expectations and characterization. This shit fucking hurts, and it's going to take time to heal."

"So now what?" Riku asks, his hands still not leaving his forehead.

"Now, you stop being so professional about everything," Xion advises. "Be honest with yourself, Riks. The more you fight it, the more it's going to bother you. Admit that you can't always have it together. People break, you know, and sometimes you just have to accept your emotions and give into them to get it out of your system. Some of us can't help it, so until both sides are ready for proper confrontation, I think it's okay not to be okay."

She reaches out for his hand and squeezes as a sign of support, and Riku acknowledges it with a small smile. Nearly three years ago, it had been him holding the romance novelist's hand after her back-to-back breakups with Roxas and Sora, but he'd never thought that their roles would be reversed one day. He'd known that she was beyond hurt, but to feel the pain himself firsthand was an entirely different story altogether. Now that he was in her position, now that he somewhat understood, he looked at Xion in a different light.

An admirable light.

He'd always admired her, what with her writing skills and perseverance throughout their university days, but this was a new level. How she'd managed to keep things together is almost beyond him, but he supposed that she was right when she said that only time could really heal him. Confrontation was necessary, but he'd definitely need some time to himself afterward.

"New Twilight," Xion then says when she withdraws her hand from his. "This place has way too much drama, don't you think?"

Riku lets out a small, half-hearted chuckle as he recalls all the events that have taken place. "I suppose it does."

"It almost makes you want to leave, doesn't it?"

Riku looks up from his steaming bowl with slightly widened eyes. Xion sends him a knowing glance, and that's all he needs to understand what she's implying.

"Well, I need to meet with my publisher now," she says while reaching for her purse. Just as she's about to slap the proper amount of munny on the table, Riku sends her a look.

"Don't even think about it," he warns. Xion immediately raises her hands in surrender and puts the bill back into her wallet.

"All right then, thank you," she says while getting up from her seat.

"No problem. Do you need a ride?" Riku offers.

"No thanks, I can walk. I'm a big girl, Riku, I can handle myself," Xion teases while buttoning up her coat. "Bye now," she says after offering him a small hug.

"Bye," Riku says, still in a daze from her earlier implication. When he finally takes in the silhouette of her retreating figure, he immediately gets up from his seat and calls her name.

"Xi," he says, and she turns around without a moment's hesitation. Riku almost turns red at all the attention that they're given. He'd forgotten that they were in a public place. "Thank you," he mouths.

She sends him a warm smile while her hand lingers on the entrance door. "You're welcome, Riku." And just as she's about to push the door open, she adds, "PS. Take care of yourself" before disappearing behind her umbrella.

* * *

><p>The air is cold when Sora wakes up.<p>

He rolls over, expecting his arm to drape over Kairi's petite figure, but his arm falls straight onto his own bed. He frowns, questioning why she would be up so early on a Saturday morning. Much like himself, she was an early riser, but she typically liked to sleep in and cuddle on the weekend. Seeing as he himself shared her interest in cuddling, he wasn't one to complain, but he was going to if he didn't find his cuddle buddy soon.

After freshening up in the bathroom, Sora crosses the hallway and opens the door to Kairi's room. She's not in there—in fact, he's surprised to find that almost nothing is in there. Her bed has been stripped of its covers, she no longer has her frames and records on the wall, her closet is completely bear… It's not neat, he thinks—it's empty, and the realization makes his heart skip a beat.

He runs out of her room and towards the staircase where he finds Kairi discussing something with a young man who carries the last of her boxes. When she catches sight of her housemate on the bottom of the stairs, she dismisses the young man and turns to face Sora with an unconvincing straight face.

"What are you doing?" Sora asks fearfully. Kairi mindlessly pulls her on her luggage handle before she responds.

"I didn't come to New Twilight to destroy such a beautiful friendship, Sora," she says timidly.

"Kairi, no," Sora pleads when the reality of it all begins to sink in. The distance between them is no longer nine meters, but nine months.

"The only way things can go back to the way they were between you two is if I leave and stop complicating things," Kairi explains.

"This isn't your fault, Kairi," Sora assures. "I'm as much to blame as you."

"Oh, but it is my fault," she says with a false smile. "None of this would have started without me," she continues after choking back a sob.

"We can figure this out together, Kairi," Sora says as he walks towards her with long, desperate strides. "Please, you don't have to leave."

"Yes, I do," Kairi insists.

"No, you don't," Sora says as he balls his hands into fists. "I can try harder. Is that what you want? Was I not good enough before?"

"Sora," Kairi whispers as she wraps her arms around his midsection. His heart beats uncontrollably beneath her right ear. "Don't you ever think that. You've always been good enough."

"So why leave?" he asks, his voice shaking.

"I want you to have what you had before," Kairi answers. "I'm distracting you from your own best friend, and I don't want that. Please try to understand, Sora."

"I do understand, but I still don't want you to leave," Sora whimpers as he rests his cheek on her head. "Please, Kairi. I love you."

Kairi purses her lips as she snuggles into his chest. "I love you, too. That's why I'm doing this, Sora. I want you to have what's best for you, and right now, that's not me."

"That's not true," Sora argues. "You'll always be what's best for me. I'll always need you."

"And I need you, but we both knew this was going to happen sometime," Kairi admits. "I couldn't be your assistant my whole life. I came here with a goal, Sora, and I think it's time for me to pursue it now. I think it's time for all of us to go our separate ways for a bit. It might actually be healthy for us to fix what's broken individually. Sometimes, we all just need time apart to reevaluate ourselves and figure everything out."

And just like that, she slips through his arms, through his fingertips, and walks out the door. He stands there, paralyzed as his world comes crashing down within mere seconds, and forms one coherent thought:

It is the sixteenth of April.

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Fun fact: <strong>If you recall from chapter 12, the sixteenth of April is when Sora proposed to Naminé.

**You guys have no idea how close I was to putting a sex joke at the end. I decided against it because let's face it: Sora's that kind of person, but it would've ruined the seriousness of the entire chapter, lol. I actually didn't plan to have that scene with Riku and Xion, but I have **MelodicEnigma** to thank for suggesting that I delve into Riku's character more. I'm not going to lie; the original plan after this point had very little Riku involvement, but I decided to change some things around when I realized that I was being a heartless bitch towards him lmao. **

**So this is why I love reading all your reviews. They give me a challenge and some great ideas, and that way, this fic becomes not just mine, but ours. **

**So yes, as stated above, I am **xoKyorii**. I'm sorry if I had to play up the lie with some of you during our private messages haha. Why the new account, you ask? Well, there's plenty of reasons, the first primarily being that **Redeeming Endeavor **and **Jomatto **wanted to see if good writing could make it to the top without a brand name. Did readers read solely because of the name behind the work, or was it because of the actual reading material/quality of writing? **

**The current statistics show that "good writing" (I put that in quotations because I'm self-conscious lol) **_**can**_** make it without a brand name! So if you really look at it, I'm just their lab rat lol. **

**So if you've read **xoKyorii'**s material before, you can probably guess my second reason for creating a new account. Kyorii had a two-year absence, and during that absence, I'd like to say that I've gone through a few changes. I surely hope that my writing now is a reflection of those changes.**

**I was admittedly distracted for a bit, and it took me a while to get back on track with my passion for writing, but I eventually found it again. I can't guarantee that I can finish what I've written in the past, but I'll do my best to continue where I left off. You can count on me updating on this account, though. This is how I want to be represented now, but I'll always be Kyorii at heart. **

**At least now you can see why my updates were so inconsistent on that account lol.**

**Special thanks to **pokepals98, likeaPETTER, Number 0, Sookdeo, Amulet Misty, Ken7700, nick00712, Emi-tan, gummiseals, PurgeJuls, Naivette, Crush-Chan17, digimichael96, MelodicEnigma, applebear, em, Kelly, KittyKat1217, Nano1012, DaGuest, Blade100, The V-Blade, madelyn150, Wildgirl404, **and **AyRayKay **for reviewing the last chapter and to those who put this story on alert and/or favourited it! Big thanks to **Redeeming Endeavor **and **Jomatto **as well for keeping my identity a secret and for participating in our late night shenanigans that somehow manage to help me piece everything together. I apologize if I missed or misspelled any pen names!**

**I hope you enjoyed the twentieth installment of D&L. Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I'm sorry for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap!**

**Can you believe it? Only 4 more chapters to go, guys!**

**PS. **If you ever find yourself bored in the middle of the night, feel free to join Redeeming Endeavor, Jomatto, and I for a game of Cards Against Humanity online. We'll find a better way to organize times, but for now you can add me wherever you like. Now that you know who I am, a list of new contact information should be up on my profile (:


	21. Chapter 21

**twenty-one**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of twenty-one._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up three more spaces._

.

.

.

Kairi stands on the edge of a balcony, overlooking the city of New Twilight with her Cinnamon Heart tea in hand. She takes a sip and waits for the warm, comforting sensation that comes with consuming her favourite drink, but all she tastes is bitterness in her mouth.

"If it's any consolation, I think what you did was right," Selphie says as she emerges from her apartment in her work attire. Kairi smiles behind the rim of her cup at the observations of her new temporary housemate. She was too transparent for her own good.

"It was selfless," Selphie continues as she moves to stand beside the redhead. "And I admire you for putting their friendship over your happiness. It couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," Kairi answers truthfully. "But you don't have to treat me like I'm wounded, Selph. I don't want to bring sadness into your home."

Selphie merely crosses her arms and snickers. "Sadness? Please. Kairi, you're far from a burden. If anything, you've brought interest into my life. I've been an only child all my life, so living with someone—a friend, especially—is definitely a nice change."

Kairi resists the urge to laugh half-heartedly at Selphie's choice of words. Sora had said something along those lines when she'd first met him, and look how things ended up with them; however, she refuses to be cynical in front of the hospitable stylist, so she opts for a simple:

"I'm glad you see things that way."

One of Selphie's small, well-manicured hands then lands on her shoulder as a comforting gesture. "I know this line is totally overused, and we never believe anyone when they say it, but I really do think things will eventually be okay, Kairi. I know that this is today, and it pretty much sucks, but try to have faith in time. This may just be the hopeless romantic in me talking, but love always succeeds, whether it be between friends or lovers."

Kairi sets her tea down with a warm smile. "Thank you, Selphie. Not just for that, but for giving me confidence, for everything."

"Well I'm glad to know that I'm doing my job right," Selphie says lightheartedly. She then steals a quick glance at her watch. "Speaking of jobs, I need to be at work in twenty. Do you need a ride anywhere or will you be okay?"

"I think I can manage on my own," Kairi replies. "Thanks for the offer, though."

"No problem. See you later," Selphie says as she fishes her purse for her wallet. When she hears the door slam behind her housemate, Kairi sighs as she plops back down on her work desk where she spends another day staring at a blank word document.

* * *

><p>Sora sits towards the end of the meeting room table with his cheek resting against the palm of his hand.<p>

The meeting had yet to be adjourned, but despite Sora's constant frowns of annoyance, one of the employees just wouldn't stop pestering him about signing Kairi's farewell card. Sora glances at his Rolex with disbelief. It's been five minutes. This idiot has been bugging him for five straight minutes.

No matter what the employee said or did to sell him, he'd still refuse to sign that thing. First of all, it sang, so that alone already made it annoying as fuck, and second, signing it was the equivalent to admitting that his assistant was actually leaving. It made her resignation official. It was physical proof that she was _gone_, and that wasn't something that he liked to be reminded about.

"Hey, can you just leave the kid alone?" someone snaps behind him. The employee looks up and cowers in fear at the sight of Larxene staring him down. He scurries off in fear not a moment later.

"Thanks," Sora mumbles. Larxene isn't one to feel sympathy towards anyone, but for the first time in his four years of knowing her, Sora catches a look of pity on her face before she says "No problem" and walks back to her desk.

The brunet throws his head back with a groan. How was he supposed to act professional around these people if they were going to look at him like _that_? Kairi's presence—or lack thereof—lived on in their empathetic looks, and although he appreciates their sympathy, he really doesn't need (nor want) it. Not when it made things worse than they already were.

Sora feels someone's eyes on him and looks in the general direction of his suspicions, but all he sees is Riku casually reading something on his tablet on the far side of the table.

The meeting passes in a blur, and before he knows it, Sora is standing in the middle of his office, staring blankly at the bookshelves behind his desk. There is an empty space where Kairi's purse should be next to his messenger bag, and his coat stand is occupied by only one coat as opposed to two. He sighs as her hushed giggles echo through the walls, and if he can focus hard enough, he can still feel the warmth of her hand ghosting across his cheek.

It's worse this time round, he thinks. Much, much worse. When Naminé had left, at least he'd known that she was with someone who could take care of her, he'd known where she was, and he'd known that she loved someone else. According to Olette and Hayner, Kairi still swung by for her occasional cup of coffee at The Usual Spot, so that left him to conclude that she was somewhere out there, in the vast city of Twilight, still loving him in return, still within his grasp—but yet, he couldn't get to her. He admittedly drove around the entire city a couple of times, sat at The Usual Spot for hours, and even took the damn subway just to catch a glimpse of bright red hair, but nothing.

She is nowhere to be found, but she is everywhere. She's in the sea-salt ice cream bars that he eats, in the music on the radio, in the emptiness of the couch, in every note on his piano, in the neatness of his room, in the vegetables that he never touches at the bottom of his fridge. She's sight, she's touch, she's taste, smell, and sound—she's everything, and he just let her slip right through his fingers.

With a groan he mindlessly tosses the new documents from the meeting onto his coffee table, and he can already hear her voice:

_"Don't put those there, you lazy bum. Put them in the drawer under category C."_

He chuckles to himself as he recalls the hint of annoyance to her tone and the slight bulging of her bottom lip when she pouts angrily. He picks up the papers and files them accordingly, and Sora resumes his life of working languidly and going through the motions.

"She doesn't want you to look for her, you know," Xion says as she prepares dinner for him one night. At the dining table, Sora only stares at his spoon, his eyes drained of all their childlike wonder. "There's a reason she left, and it wasn't so that you could mope about her absence. Get up off your ass and get your damn priorities straight, Sora."

"What are you sassing me for?" Sora says while rubbing his temples in annoyance. "Despite knowing about Riku's feelings, you're the one who told me to get close with her, and now look where I am—exactly where I predicted we'd be from the start."

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Xion asks as she drops the ladle angrily. "I didn't tell you to betray Riku's trust, Sora. And besides, would you rather have lived life not knowing what it was like to be cherished and loved by Kairi instead? Do you not want this? Well I'm sorry if you're displeased, but this is the life you're given," she snaps. "You're going to make mistakes and get your heart broken; people are going to disappoint you and move on so fast that you'll feel like shit, but that's just how it is. Life doesn't stop or wait for anyone to move on—not for you, not for me. It just goes on, and so should you."

Sora groans and runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "Ugh, I'm sorry, Xi. I didn't mean to be snappy. I just… I'm so torn. Whenever I felt like this, the solution was just so easy before: call Riku, but that's clearly not an option now." After simmering down, Xion nods in understanding as she stirs the pot of soup on the stove.

"Her absence made me crave his," Sora continues, "and whenever I'm alone there's this emptiness that can only be filled with his friendship, but here's the thing: whenever I miss him, I think of her, and then I'm reminded about how worried I am and go back to her."

While Xion wordlessly continues to pour their soup into two separate bowls, Sora removes his hands from his head at her silence.

"You know where she is, don't you?" It isn't a question. "Xion, please," Sora pleads. "I promised her dad I wouldn't hurt her, and I can't concentrate on making things right until I know she's okay."

Xion's shoulders slump in defeat as she sighs. "I can't tell you exactly where she is, but she's in good hands. She's concerned about you and Riku, but other than that, she's managing. You don't have to worry, Sora," Xion assures. "She's okay, and she's trying to make it by herself. You should do the same. If you can make it by yourself, you can all make it together next time."

Sora places his spoon into his mouth and smiles as the woman he's bugged countless times sits across from him on the dining table yet again. Somehow, someway, they always seemed to find themselves in the same seats, and she always managed to deal with him and his problems without fail.

"Xion," Sora starts, his voice wavering. "Marry me."

He hears her spoon clatter onto the edge of her bowl before she bursts out laughing. Moments pass, and Sora finds himself frowning as she dries the tears from her eyes.

"What?" he asks, his brows furrowing amidst her giggles. "Would it inconvenience you to marry me?"

"Yes, you ass," Xion answers. "You're not yourself right now; you don't really mean that. You're being incredibly desperate, and you're just using me as a rebound—as an escape, and we both know where that will get us. Besides, our marriage…" Her expression then turns melancholic. "It would be too easy. There would be no challenge, no sense of accomplishment. We'd be settling. We wouldn't be happy—not really."

Sora mindlessly stirs his soup, mulling over her words in agreement. This is just how they worked: they each had their share of problems, and they would support one another without question. They were friends—really good friends, but that's all they were, and Sora, as well as Xion, knew that this was all they could ever be.

"Hey," Xion says softly while taking his tanned hands in her pale ones. "You're stronger than this, Sora. You're not the same person you were before, and she knows this. She wouldn't have left if she thought you couldn't handle this. You can't just throw away the strength she gave you because she's not here. She's always, you know, in here," Xion says as she taps the general area where Sora's heart would be. "Besides, Riku's still your best friend, you know. He didn't say otherwise."

Sora almost laughs. "He hasn't said anything."

"Then maybe you should do something about that," Xion advises. "He's not going to deck you if you say hi. Just try approaching him and see how it goes."

After a few moments of thought, Sora finally nods.

"Okay," he says weakly. "I'll give it a try."

* * *

><p>At work the following day, Sora exits the elevator on the highest floor with two paper bags in hand. With hasty but quiet footsteps he makes his way to the staircase at the end of the hallway and takes a deep breath before opening the door to the roof.<p>

He's there, sitting on the edge of one of the flowerbeds encased in stone like Sora expects. Whenever either of them needed to figure something out and/or escape the stress that work always promised, they found refuge on the roof where everything just seemed much more refreshing, much more clear.

Sora briefly considers turning back, but he knows it's too late. Although his sights were set on the view of the city, Riku already knew he was there the instant he stepped out of the elevator.

So, after sharp intake of breath, Sora walks towards his best friend with shaky strides and sits close, but far enough to place the two paper bags in between them. In the bag closest to Riku are fries and a burger made exactly how he likes it from their favourite burger joint, down to the excessive amount of toppings.

Minutes pass, and while Sora is already halfway through his meal, Riku still hasn't moved an inch. Just as the younger man is about to let out a defeated sigh, a pale hand reaches for the bag, and the remainder of their lunch is spent in silence, but one more welcoming than the last.

* * *

><p>One week becomes two, two becomes three, three becomes four, and just like that, it becomes eight, but to them, time is no longer measured in minutes, or weeks, or months. It is measured in the gradual, but steady progression of Kairi's blank word documents, in the few words that Riku and Sora exchange on the roof, in the swelling of Olette's belly, in the selection of Naminé's wedding decorations, in the blooming of Aerith's flowers, and in the tennis matches between Xion, Riku, and his three older brothers.<p>

One Saturday morning, Riku emerges from the change room of the recreation center dressed and ready with his racket in hand, and Xion is already tying her shoes on the bench of their reserved court.

"Hey," Riku greets as he sits next to her and ties his hair back.

"Hi," Xion says while tightening her laces. "Did you hear? Olette gave birth a few hours ago."

"I heard," Riku answers as he recalls the overexcited all caps text from Selphie. "It's a boy, right?"

"Mhm," Xion replies. "Baby Eric."

"Wow," Riku says as he leans his head against the wall. "Who would've thought that Hayner would be the first father among us? I feel like I just met him at that bar on campus."

"Time flies, doesn't it?" Xion asks while nudging his bare shoulder.

Riku chuckles at the gesture. "Sure does." He then brushes her bangs back when a couple of strands fall to cover her eyes, and Xion tries her hardest not to blush at the gesture. "You kept your hair long back then, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah," Xion stammers as she recalls tying it into a messy bun every morning before class. Riku's hand falls from her forehead and back down to his side.

"It looked nice," he says, "but I like it better now."

Xion runs a hand through her short, jet-black locks with a small grin. She knows that this is Riku's way of telling her that he likes the person that she's become without actually saying it.

"So do I," Xion answers, and as they wait for the arrival of his brothers, she decides to ask him how he's doing as of late.

"Fine," Riku replies. "I'm doing fine."

"Riku…" Xion says with a knowing tone.

"I've been thinking about something," Riku confesses. Xion eagerly scoots closer to him to assure him of her support and attention. "I was thinking that maybe my happy ending doesn't involve romance right now," Riku says. "Maybe it's… appreciating my talents and starting over."

"You're taking the offer," Xion concludes.

Riku grins at her understanding. "Yeah."

"Finally chose to do something for yourself this time, huh?" Xion asks.

"Partially," Riku admits. "I'm not seething—not anymore. It's so tiring, all that negative energy… but being around him… it isn't the same. We act like nothing happened, but even if we confront the situation, I don't think I can take seeing him every waking moment in and out of work. The memory will just keep hitting me with visceral force, and I'll feel so hurt and betrayed all over again. I can let it go momentarily, but not for too long," Riku admits. "He'll always be my best friend. Nothing can erase what the past twenty years have given us, but I just… I think it's time we keep our distance—at least for now."

"Well, you know I'll support whatever decision you make," Xion assures as she places a hand on his muscular shoulder.

"Moving to another world alone, though… it's a big step," Riku points out.

"I'm sure you'll be fine Mr. President," Xion teases.

"That's the thing, though," Riku continues. "Financially, I know I'll be fine, but it'll get lonely."

"A charmer like you won't have any trouble making friends," Xion insists.

Riku shakes his head. "There's no guarantee."

"Nothing in this life is guaranteed," Xion says as she turns away from him. She knows where this is going. "You just need someone to keep you company, Riku."

"No," he says as she feels him grab her arm. "I need you, Xi. That's guaranteed."

Xion feels her heart skip a beat at the sudden confession. She mentally thanks the heavens that she chose to turn away from him earlier, or else he'd pinch one of her reddening cheeks and tease her for sure.

"I hear the scenery in Radiant Garden is breathtaking," Riku says. "Architecture, plant life, mountains, you name it. I think it's great inspiration for a writer."

Xion begins to twiddle her thumbs with a nervous quiver to her lips. For the past year she'd admitted to having a slight crush on Riku, so hearing him ask her to start a new life with him comes as a shock to her, but he misunderstands her silence as hesitance.

"You don't have to do it for me," Riku assures. "I just thought you'd want to get away from here; from the rat race, from the drama. New Twilight is crawling with memories, and I thought a change in location might help. Besides," he then says with a playful tone. "My food is edible, but it's incredibly bland. I don't know if I can eat properly when you're worlds away, and I sincerely doubt you can send me a Tupperware without its contents going bad first."

Xion finally looks up from her hands and sends Riku a warm smile that catches him off guard. "Then I guess I'll just have to go and raid your kitchen then."

And just as Riku finds the ends of his lips twitching into a small smile as well, his hand suddenly moves up to catch a tennis ball that was headed straight for his head. On the sidelines of the court, Riku's older brothers Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz smirk at the two on the bench.

"Hey," Kadaj, the oldest, says with a teasing edge to his voice. "Are you going to talk to your girlfriend all day, or do we have a game here?"

"And nice top, Xion," Yazoo says as he jokingly admires her black sports tank. "Why don't you let Riku feel that for you?"

"Bet it's made out of wifey material," Loz finishes.

"Actually it's made out of your mom's pubic hair," Xion fires back, and Riku throws his head back with a loud laugh as his brothers bombard them with a merciless onslaught of tennis balls.

* * *

><p>At Central Station, Kairi tightly clutches a folder to her chest, pulls her Serah Farron purse strap up to her shoulder, and runs down the steps of the station with haste. To her left, the doors of the closest car begin to close, and she attempts to slip through them with determination. Her petite frame manages to squeeze through, but just as she enters the car, her heels give in. She nearly falls on her face, but someone manages to catch her by the wrist in time.<p>

Kairi looks up to find that she almost collided with one of the poles and mentally berates herself for choosing haste over safety. She feels the person's grip on her wrist slacken, and when she turns around to thank her saviour, she instinctively freezes in place.

"Riku," she breathes.

"Hey," he greets as the train begins to pick up speed.

He's just as she remembers from when they first met. He wears a crooked grin that slightly twitches at the ends, and his eyes no longer hold a trace of anger or hatred. He looks completely content, and the realization makes Kairi reciprocate his grin, albeit with some awkwardness.

"So what's with this get up?" Riku asks while crossing his arms. Kairi takes a moment to examine the blazer and skirt that Selphie had laid out for her this morning while placing a hand on her head. Her hair had been tied into a neat and professional bun, so she undoes it and lets her hair fall loosely over her shoulders, just as she likes it. Riku appreciates the gesture with a pleasant glance.

There was the Kairi he knew.

"Oh, this?" the redhead asks as she playfully pulls on the lapels of the blazer. "It's just something I threw on to take out the trash." Riku offers her a small laugh before she tells him the truth. "I, uh, I just met up with a literary agent."

One of Riku's eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Really?" he asks. It is then that he gets a glimpse of the stack of papers that are bound together in her purse. "That's great, Kairi," he says with genuine affection. "How'd it go?"

"Pretty well, I think…" Kairi says distantly, and Riku can immediately tell by the look in her eyes that her thoughts are elsewhere. "Listen, Riku…" she starts anxiously. "I know that a subway car is probably the most inappropriate place for closure, but I really am sorry for what I did."

After quite some time, Riku offers her a small nod.

"You should be," he says in a hushed tone.

"And you deserve so much better than me," Kairi admits.

"I do," Riku says, nodding in agreement once more with a haughty smirk. His ex-girlfriend playfully hits his arm with a frown.

"Well you don't have to admit it that fast," she teases.

"You know what, this is an inappropriate place to talk about this," Riku agrees after he finally notices a couple of passengers stealing glances in their direction. The train just stops at Sunset Hill station, and Riku gestures Kairi to join him as he steps through the doors. "If you have nothing else to tend to today, would you like to continue this awkward conversation over a cup of coffee?"

At The Usual Spot, Riku and Kairi engage in small talk until Hayner places their order in the middle of their table.

"Well if it isn't Papa Hayner," Kairi jokes. The café owner sends her a look of annoyance, but he relaxes when he recalls the feeling of cradling his two-week-old son in his arms.

"Where's Olette?" Riku asks when he notices the absence of his friend's wife.

"At home with the little one," Hayner answers dreamily.

"Is it tiring?" Kairi asks with questioning eyes.

"Nah," Hayner admits. "He just sleeps most of the time, but that doesn't stop Pence from making him his new photography muse."

"Well let Olette and Eric know that we send them our love and congratulations," Riku says. Hayner acknowledges the request with a nod before tending to the other customers. When he's out of earshot, Riku and Kairi resume their serious conversation from the subway.

"I heard you left him," Riku starts.

"To fix things individually," Kairi explains as she traces the rim of her mug with her index finger. "Has he?"

"He's trying," Riku assures. Then, after a chuckle he adds, "The idiot's probably eating instant noodles right now."

Kairi giggles in agreement. "He can't even do his laundry properly. I bet all his white shirts are pink. You know he's completely hopeless without us."

After the two share a well-needed laugh, Riku decides to tell Kairi about the important news.

"I decided to take the offer in Radiant Garden," he informs. This effectively puts Kairi's laughter to an end. She looks at him with a shocked expression, and as the new information sinks in, her lips turn upward into a proud smile.

"That's great, Riku," she says, and she means it. "Have you… have you told him?"

"No," Riku answers. "He's not ready to talk about matters as serious as that, but he'll find out eventually."

"What made you decide to take the offer?" Kairi questions. "Why now?"

"I'm not as strong as I think, Kairi," Riku wholeheartedly admits, and the implication behind his words causes the redhead to pout guiltily. Despite what she'd done, he still harboured feelings for her. "I think this is for the best, though," Riku continues. "Not too far, but not too close; not incredibly selfish, but still selfless. This is the in between road."

Kairi simply nods in understanding.

"But before I leave, I do have a favour to ask of you," Riku says.

"And I'm in no position to turn you down," Kairi replies. "Fire away."

"When the time comes, don't leave him again," Riku pleads. "He'll always need you, but now more than ever."

Kairi sends him a knowing look as she tucks a few strands of hair behind her left ear. "You're not going alone, are you?"

Riku only smiles into the rim of his coffee cup in response.

* * *

><p>Aerith watches as her youngest son sits tiredly by the cash register, staring out the window of the shop with half-lidded eyes. His posture resembles that of a wilting flower, and there are noticeable bags under his eyes, but she very well knows that he's suffering from a kind of tiredness that can't be fixed with sleep.<p>

"Aren't you supposed to be out clubbing or something?" she asks to lighten the mood. "Isn't that how your generation deals with their problems?"

Sora doesn't show any signs of amusement. Aerith pouts and makes her way to her baby with outstretched arms. She pulls him into a comforting hug, and Sora doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around his mother to bask in the familiarity of her warmth.

"I don't know what else to do, mom," he mumbles into her dress. "Our conversations are always so bland. We've made some progress, but now it feels like we've been stuck in the same place for weeks."

"Honey, the damage done between you and Riku is very difficult to repair and can't just be fixed with some small talk on the roof," Aerith whispers. "I think you should start smaller. Kairi knows you have other broken bonds to tend to, so try righting those wrongs first. It might help."

Sora only shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"I wish I could understand so that I could help you," Aerith admits. "And I'll always be here to comfort you in the best way that I can, but this time, I really don't think I'm the one you should be talking to, Sora. There is someone else out there who understands you, and that you understand in return. I think it would really help if you paid them a visit."

Sora says nothing, but Aerith catches him stealing glances at his car keys on the counter.

* * *

><p>In the middle of pouring ground black pepper into the pot of mashed potatoes, Naminé's ears perk upward when she hears the doorbell ring.<p>

"Roxas," she calls softly. "Can you get that?"

Her fiancé, who is currently cutting vegetables beside her, sets the knife down in compliance and kisses her cheek before making his way to the door.

"It's probably just Axel trying to steal some food again," Roxas jokes, but when he looks through the peephole, his eyes widen as he gasps in surprise. He rests his back against the door, willing his heart to calm down, and after taking a deep breath, he turns the doorknob and opens the door.

His twin brother stands on the other side, holding a bottle of wine in hand.

"Hey," Sora greets shakily. Roxas runs a hand through his hair as his lips curve into a wide, welcoming smile.

"Hey."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, I just love making mom jokes with the Advent Children triplets. <strong>

**So sorry for the late update, guys! I just flew back home after almost three months of being in another province, and I needed time to reset myself. I'm still trying to adjust to the city life again, and I've also been vacationing a little. I've explored the west coast of Canada, visited Seattle, and recently just returned from New York and Atlantic City. I unfortunately caught a cold from all that traveling, but I think my sickness actually helped with the bittersweet feel of this chapter. **

**This one's a short one, I know, and there are plenty of holes that could be filled, but it's never been easy for me to write these kind of chapters. My notes for this were scattered all over the place, so it was very difficult for me to put the pieces together into something workable lol. I hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless. As far as I'm concerned, the next chapter is quite short as well, but I happen to think that it's quite feels packed. **

**And so much unintentional RikuShi in this one! I hadn't realized I'd been writing their scene for so long. I guess it kind of sprung up from all the readers who felt for Riku. I also decided to add a little Way to the Dawn reference in there.**

**Special thanks to** KurukiXIV, Crimson Daydreamer, It's My Lucky Charm, Guest, DestinyKeyblader28, TheNiceCritic, Nano1012, The V-Blade, pokepals98, Emi-tan, Amulet Misty, MelodicEnigma, Wildgirl404, Blade100, likeaPETTER, nick00712, KittyKat1217, Rivendell101, Crush-Chan17, Sookdeo **and **Ken7700 **for reviewing the last chapter and to those who have put this story on alert and/or favourited it! I'm sorry if I missed or misspelled any pennames.**

**And ohmigosh guys. We're currently at 281 reviews. That's almost 300. Ohmigosh is this really going to happen? **

**I hope you enjoyed the twenty-first installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I apologize for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap!**

**PS. **I see that chapter 18 has a substantially larger amount of hits in comparison to about eighty percent of the chapters in this story. I knew you were all waiting for those sex scenes, ha.  
><strong>PSS.<strong> There's a reason why I named Hayner and Olette's son Eric. Can you guess why?


	22. Chapter 22

**twenty-two**

.

.

.

_The dice add up to a total of twenty-two._

_You land on a ladder._

_Move up five more spaces._

.

.

.

As she sets the final dish on the table, Naminé catches Sora laughing at something her fiancé says in the living room of their two-floor apartment, and the familiar sight makes her heart swell with the warmth of joy.

"Oh, I missed this," Sora wholeheartedly admits as he leans back on the couch.

"Me too," Roxas says as he reciprocates his brother's actions. Nostalgia washes over them both, and it feels as if they'd just returned from a very long and very brutal soccer practice. "I'm sorry I ever did anything to destroy this."

"Quit apologizing, Rox," Sora says as he recalls his brother's heartfelt and apologetic speech only moments ago. "I know you're sorry. I am, too, but I understand why you did what you did. I found myself in that same position not too long ago—in fact, I'm still in it right now."

Roxas shakes his head and chuckles lightly, and Sora, who finds the situation as equally entertaining—albeit pathetic—chortles as well.

"You Caelum girls are going to be the death of us, you know that?" Roxas says as he turns to face his future wife.

"Yeah," Sora says, agreeing. "Do you and Kairi have any more relatives that we should know about? We need to warn Ven and Van like, right now."

Naminé lets out a laugh as she pours the wine that Sora so kindly purchased into three separate glasses. "What can I say? We can't help it that we're so charming," she teases cheekily. "Now get over here, you two. Dinner's ready."

"So let me get this straight," Roxas says in the middle of their meal. "You've tried interacting with Riku, but no matter what you say or do, it always seems like you're stuck in the same place with the same bland conversations?"

"Pretty much," Sora answers with his mouth half-full of Naminé's delicious mashed potatoes. He mindlessly spears a piece of asparagus with his fork and places it into his mouth, and Naminé watches with disbelief as her vegetable hating ex-boyfriend chews it with content. "I don't know what else to do. I can't take things being like this any longer."

Roxas grins into his wine glass. "You've never been a patient person."

"Hey!" Sora screams, offended. When Naminé and Roxas stare him down with unfaltering eyes, the brunet shrinks back into his seat in defeat. "I know," he admits as he childishly pokes at his food. "I just… I just want to know how to fix this. How to fix everything."

"Well, first things first," Roxas starts, and just as Sora is ready to open up to his brother's wise and uplifting advice, his twin merely says, "I'm the realest."

While Sora facepalms himself, Naminé whacks her future husband in the back of the head as he lets out a shameless laugh.

"Roxas!" she scolds.

"Okay, sorry, sorry," Roxas says in between wheezes. Then, when his chuckles die down, he crosses his hands in front of him on the table and turns to his baby brother with a serious expression. "First things first, you can't just go on pretending like nothing happened between you two. That's not going to get you anywhere, as you can see."

Sora nods in understanding as he recalls making zero progress with his brother when he chose to ignore his existence completely.

"Knowing you guys, I personally think that confrontation is the only way for you two to truly move on," Roxas advises when he thinks of where he and his twin brother currently stand.

"Ignorance is bliss," Naminé adds, "but only for so long."

"So…" Sora starts. "We just have to talk about it and all will be good?"

"Not necessarily," Roxas says. "Our actions don't come without consequence, Sora; unfortunately, we both had to learn that the hard way. It's wishful thinking to believe that things can go back to the way they were before. There will come a day where you'll have to respect whatever decision he makes, and you'll just have to take it because you're in no position to be making demands."

"I see," Sora says as the consequences of his actions resurface and truly sink in.

The three continue their meal in a contemplative silence, and just as Roxas is about to take his last bite, the doorbell rings again. Axel stands on the other side, dressed and ready as if he were going to a party. After greeting his best friend with a classic hair ruffle, the pyromaniac makes a beeline for the kitchen, grabs himself a plate, and sits down at the dining table before helping himself to some food. It is when he takes his first bite of steak that he notices who is sitting across from him.

The redhead spits out his food in shock.

"_Sora?_" he chokes. He then turns to the soon-to-be married couple with suspicion. "Did you two tie him up and drag him here or something?"

"Uh, no," Naminé answers as she cleans up his mess with disgust.

"He found it in his heart to forgive me and came here willingly," Roxas announces proudly.

"Really?" Axel gladly claps Sora on the shoulder. "That's great, man! We should go out and celebrate this momentous occasion! Demyx and I were just about to hit the club. You should come with us. It might even get your mind off some things and give you a break from all that angst." Just as Sora is about to retaliate with a pointed finger, Axel turns his attention back to the couple again. "You guys should tag along, too. Get all that wedding planning stress out of your system."

"Uh, no thanks," Roxas answers on his and Naminé's behalf. "We're completely content with just staying here."

Axel grimaces. "Ugh. You know, just 'cause you'll be wearing a ring soon doesn't mean you can no longer ring a ding, if you know what I mean."

"Why would I go to a club and try to hook up with some random girl when I already have a perfectly good one right here?" Roxas asks as he stands alongside his fiancée. The ends of Sora's lips twitch slightly. Now that he gets a good look at them, he realizes that they really do look good together.

Axel merely scoffs at their united front and turns to Sora with a hopeful expression. "What about you angsty pants? Wanna live a little?"

Sora gives the offer some thought. He had been thinking an awful lot lately. Maybe a few drinks would do him some good—just a few, though.

"Sure," he says with a small shrug. "Why not?"

Axel lets out a cheer as he finishes his meal with haste. While the redhead washes the dishes (after he so kindly offered), Sora walks to the front of the door with Roxas and Naminé in tow.

"So," Sora starts as he rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I know it's a little late for me to ask, but… do you happen to have a pianist for your wedding?"

Roxas and Naminé share a look before turning to Sora with grateful smiles.

"I thought you'd never ask," Roxas says before he pulls his brother into a familial hug. Naminé offers him a kiss on the cheek, and when Axel joins them, he pulls them all into a bone-crushing group hug.

* * *

><p>Sora wakes up with a loud groan and a strong distaste for sunlight. His head doesn't hurt, so he isn't suffering from a hangover, but he doesn't fail to notice that his shirt and pants are hanging in rather peculiar places in his room.<p>

Okay, so maybe he had more than a few drinks last night.

He rolls over to check the time on the nightstand but he turns around to find a young, orange-haired woman sleeping in his bed with her bare back exposed to him. He rolls onto his back again and runs a hand through his bed head in distress.

"Shit," he whispers while staring blankly at the ceiling. He used to wake up content after something like this, but now he just felt dirty. He wasn't with Kairi, not really, but to sleep with someone else when he knew that she loved him made him want to punch himself in the face.

He feels his right hand ball into a fist. That actually didn't seem like a bad idea, but he may have been bordering insanity at this point.

The woman beside him suddenly begins to stir, and Sora instinctively gets out of bed to throw some clothes on. As he's buttoning up the last few buttons of his shirt, Sora turns around to find the young woman sitting up on his bed with the covers pulled up to her chest.

She's exactly what he'd go for back then. Curly, flirtatious hair, a pretty face that would look sexy when flustered, and innocent, doe-like eyes with the potential for seduction; however, he wishes more than anything for those eyes to turn blue with flecks of purple. Those are the only eyes he wants to gaze at every morning; the only eyes he wants to start his day with.

"Hey," Sora greets awkwardly. When she looks up at him, he realizes that he's seen her before, somewhere at work. She wasn't stationed on his floor, but he's definitely seen her around. He'd conversed with her a few times about a whip-like weapon, no sexual innuendos intended.

"I know you," he says out loud. "Your… your name's Vanille, right?"

She blinks up at him in surprise.

"What?" he asks, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Nothing," she says, and he knows that his suspicions are correct when he hears her thick Pulsian accent. "I just didn't think you'd be the type to remember the names of the people you take home."

The truthfulness of the fact also takes Sora by surprise as he adjusts the collar of his dress shirt. Back then, he never bothered memorizing petty little things like names during playtime, but now he cherished every single memory and detail that he knew about a person.

"Huh," he says as Vanille gets up to dress herself. "I usually don't."

When she finishes slipping through her tribal print party dress, Sora clears his throat and coughs into his fist.

"So, uh," he stammers. "Did we…?"

"No," Vanille answers swiftly. "You eventually stopped yourself. Said you were too guilty."

Sora almost lets out a sigh of relief but realizes how rude that would've been in front of his guest. He suddenly feels a little bad for depriving her of what she probably wanted the instant she stepped into the club, but the relief he feels regarding Kairi quickly overpowers it.

"I, um…" he starts uneasily. "Thanks for understanding."

"How could I not?" she asks as she pulls on her heels. "I heard what happened to your assistant… and what's about to happen to your best friend."

Sora's ears perk upward at the latter. "What?"

"He's moving to Radiant Garden," Vanille informs with nonchalance. She then notices Sora's confusion and covers her mouth in shame. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. I overheard him telling Roxas Fair that he accepted the President's offer the other day."

All Sora can see is red.

* * *

><p>Riku stands in the Dark Margin of the Realm of Darkness, appreciating the moon's illumination and the tranquility of the waves lapping against his armoured feet. He closes his eyes and relishes in the sound of the water. He's always loved the sound of waves. No matter where he actually was, the sound of waves always sounded like the sound of home, and home was the place that held most of his dearest memories.<p>

He frowns when his reverie comes to and end. He hears someone enter the grid, but he doesn't move. He can already tell who it is by their rushed and impulsive footsteps. Riku takes a deep breath and tightens his grip on the Way to Dawn.

_It's time,_ he thinks. He waits until the crackling of the fire gets closer, then with quick reflexes, he turns around to slice the incoming fireball in half.

"Why didn't you tell me that you had an offer?" Sora screams as he parts the remainder of his flames with his hands. Blinded by rage, he swings at his best friend again and again, but Riku blocks each attack with ease. He raises his weapon only to defend, not retaliate.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" the younger man practically cries.

"This doesn't concern you, Sora!" Riku yells as he finally sends his opponent back with a gust of wind. The brunet counters the attack with a simple wave, his Oathkeeper gleaming in hand.

"You're so full of shit," he spits as he readies himself in an offensive position once more.

He bombards Riku with a series of fire-based attacks (because he knows that it's his forte at the moment) and manages to send his best friend back a couple of paces, but it doesn't take long for Riku to push Sora back even further. Sora pours his heart into each swing of his keyblade, and Riku strikes back with equal fervor, finally ridding himself of all his pent-up anger.

"This has everything to do with me!" Sora shouts in the middle of their brawl.

They simultaneously send waves of fire towards the other, Sora's bright orange and Riku's deadly blue, and the contact of the elements sends the two flying back a few meters. The flames eventually subside, and after wiping the edge of their mouths and a sheen of sweat on their foreheads, they charge.

"How could you do that to me?" Riku growls when their keyblades meet. "You know how I felt about her!"

"How could you hide this offer from me?" Sora roars back. He loses his footing and stumbles back one step, but he still manages to block Riku's incoming attack.

"I couldn't leave you, okay?" the older man admits as they press their blades into one another. He feels Sora's grip slacken on the handle of his Oathkeeper, and within seconds, it clatters onto the sand in surrender.

"Wh… what?" Sora asks shakily.

"I couldn't leave you," Riku repeats without a hint of tremor to his voice. He lowers his weapon to his side and drops it himself to affirm the end of their physical battle.

"You needed me," he continues as he looks towards the water with clenched fists. "But I know you would've made me go if I told you. I only accepted it now because I'm not as strong as I think, and it was the only way for you and Kairi to be together again."

Sora is taken aback by these words.

"Why do you always do this?" he asks, his cobalt eyes already glazed with tears. "Put my happiness over yours?"

Riku turns his head to look Sora in the eye and offers him a weak, but affectionate smile.

"Because you're my best friend, Sora," he confesses. Sora then breaks like a broken dam and lets the tears spill freely from his eyes.

"That's why you can't leave, Riku," he sobs. He thinks of the physical and permanent emptiness that he is about to experience all around him, and he can't bear to go through it again knowing that his best friend is actual worlds away. They'd relied on each other for twenty years. It is the only way Sora knows how to live.

Riku only stifles a laugh at the sight of his best friend crying in front of him. It certainly isn't the first time he's seen this. The idiot was always so sensitive.

"Sora," he starts softly, "you have someone else to ski down the slopes with in the Land of Dragons; someone else to ride the magic carpet with in Agrabah; someone else you can tackle the waves with in Bodhum. You don't need me here to baby you anymore."

Sora wipes his eyes with a sniffle. "I'll always need you, Riku."

"And I'll always be supportive," Riku assures. "Just from a distance this time."

Despite the tears flowing down his cheeks in uneven tracks, the brunet slowly nods in understanding. This is the decision that Roxas was talking about the night prior; the consequence he would have to take for his actions.

"I want to tell you that I don't want you to go," Sora confesses. "But President… that's such a great opportunity, Riku. You have to take it."

Riku nods as firmly as he can to put off a strong, confident front. "So I am."

Sora then purses his lips.

"Can I just… ask you something?" he says weakly. He continues when Riku allows him to. "Why are you letting her go so easily?"

Riku crosses his arms with a sigh. "I like Kairi because I admire who she is. I wanted to learn from her, and learn from her I did. I learned that, although she's a great girl… an extraordinary one, actually," Riku adds with a melancholic laugh, "she wasn't the one for me. She's better suited for you."

Sora keeps his eyes on the ground.

"And after what you two did to me, you deserve each other," Riku shamelessly admits. Sora winces. It sounded harsh, but it was the truth.

"Besides," Riku continues, "you need her more than I do. You also love her a lot more. Why else would you go against your own best friend and risk years of friendship just to have a _chance_ with this girl? She deserves someone who loves her with all that they are, and that's you, Sora. Not me. It has to be you."

After a sharp intake of breath, Sora raises his head to face his best friend.

"So… are we going to be okay?" he finally asks.

"Hmm," Riku hums. "I'm not going to lie, you've made me very hesitant to trust either of you, but Kairi willingly left you to make amends with me, and here you are. That says something. That tells me that you both still care."

"Of course we care, Riku," Sora says as he bumps his chest with his fist. "We're a trio, remember?"

The ends of Riku's lips turn upward at these words. "Then I guess we're going to be okay."

"Okay," Sora says, but Riku can already hear his voice shaking again despite the stupid grin that he's trying to pull off. Riku lets out a laugh, because he knows he's going to miss that grin the most, and outstretches his arms for a bro hug.

Like the waves lapping against the shore, Sora crashes into his best friend with fresh tears shamelessly spilling down his face.

* * *

><p>At The Usual Spot, Xion decides to break the news to Kairi over a cup of coffee.<p>

"I'm moving to Radiant Garden," the romance novelist announces, but her companion doesn't look as surprised as she expects.

"I know," Kairi says with a knowing grin. Xion's shoulders slump in disappointment.

"Did he tell you?" she asks. Kairi shakes her head.

"He didn't need to," the redhead replies. "I figured it out myself. He just told me that it was for research." Kairi then lowers her mug with a sly grin. "What exactly are you researching in Radiant Garden, Xion?"

Xion's cheeks turn bright red at the implication behind Kairi's words. She begins to wave her hands in front of her face in embarrassment.

"Now Kairi, I'll have you know that I take my profession _very_ seriously!"

"Calm down, Xi, I was just teasing," Kairi assures as she grabs her friend by the wrist. She lowers both their arms with a graceful smile. "I'm really going to miss you, Xion. I never would've made it in New Twilight without your help," the redhead admits, and she can see Xion's bottom lip quivering in response.

"It kind of sucks that I have to find a new Zumba partner," Kairi says jokingly, "but I know that this will be good for you. Don't forget to keep in touch, okay?"

"More like don't get annoyed with my calls," Xion teases. "You studied there, right? You need to tell me where all the clubs are at because I'm totally that kind of person."

Kairi lets out a laugh as she pictures Xion getting it on at a club. "Will do."

Then, when her thigh makes contact with her purse, she jumps up with excitement and pulls her bag onto their table.

"I have to tell you something," Kairi says as she discreetly pulls her purse to her chest.

"If you're smuggling drugs, I want out," Xion says with arms raised in surrender.

"Nothing illegal, I promise," Kairi swears as she sticks one hand into the vast chasm that is her purse. "So I went to see a literary agent a few days ago…"

Xion grips the end of the table in anticipation. "Oh my gosh, Kairi."

The redhead wordlessly pulls out a contract from her bag and slides it over to Xion who reads it over with excited eyes.

"Oh my _gosh_, Kairi!" Xion exclaims. She stands and pulls her fellow novelist into a tight, squeal-inducing hug, and when her lips break out into a thankful smile, there is only one thought that crosses her mind:

Things were finally falling into place.

**tbc**

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><p><strong>Please don't kill me for that "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea reference. It was staring me right in the face. Now would be a good time to say that I also don't own that song. <strong>

**So I'm both pleased and upset about this early update. Pleased because, well, early update, and upset because we only have two more chapters to go, guys! I don't know if I'm ready for the pressure that all endings promise! *jumps into abyss of feels***

**Any who, as promised, this chapter was a short one, but I wanted to dedicate it to the mending of Sora's relationship with Roxas and Riku as well as Kairi's success at the end. I've actually been waiting to write that Frodo and Sam moment between Sora and Riku forever. Brotp for lyfe. **

**Special thanks to **likeaPETTER, Crush-Chan17, digimichael96, MelodicEnigma, Rivendell101, Ken7700, Emi-tan, Wildgirl404, Nano1012, DestinyKeyblader28, Guest, Blade100, KittyKat1217, coconut5639, SilvericAnito **and **MasterKaze **for reviewing the last chapter and to the people who favourited this story and/or put this story on alert! I'm sorry of I missed or misspelled any pen names.**

**I hope you enjoyed the twenty-second installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I apologize for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll get started on the next chapter asap!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **Thanks to **The V-Blade** for being the 300th reviewer! Wow, that actually happened.

Next chapter is the last. Asdfghjkl.

**08/21/14, 2:05PM:** So I uploaded this chapter last night, but a lot of you are saying that you can't access it. It may be a site problem, but either way, this is the second time I'm uploading this. Here's to hoping it works this time round, but thanks to those who were able to access it before and review!

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><p><strong>twenty-three<strong>

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_You wipe the board and clean and put it back in its place._

_It does not matter if you win or lose._

_It's game over._

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**Three months later**

Sora watches as his distressed mother paces back and forth between bouquets, examining each and every one with care as they're hauled into a small truck outside by the armful.

"Mom, they're fine," Sora insists tiredly. "Seriously, they all look great. Now can you please get in the car? We're going to be late."

"I'm sorry, Sora," Aerith apologizes as she anxiously twiddles her thumbs. "You know I just want everything to be absolutely perfect."

"And it will be," her youngest assures while pushing her out the door of the Pink Ribbon. "Now come on!"

"Oh, I'm so excited but so nervous at the same time," Aerith confesses as they speed down the streets of the middle district.

"Really? I couldn't tell," Sora teases as they exit the highway.

"I just can't believe that one of my babies is getting married today," Aerith chokes.

"Wha—mom, no!" Sora signals and pulls over to the side before turning on his hazard lights. "Mom, pull yourself together!" he demands as he hands his mother a tissue. "We're not even at the church yet!"

"Gah, I know," Aerith says as she fans her watery eyes with her hands, refusing to ruin her makeup before the big event. "Okay," she says after a deep breath. "I think I'm okay now."

"Are you sure?" Sora asks.

"Mhm," Aerith insists with her eyes and lips shut tight.

"Okay," Sora says as he releases the parking brake. No less than five minutes later, his mother begins bawling beside him.

* * *

><p>When Sora enters the lavishly decorated church with a sniffling Aerith by his side, he immediately runs to the first person he sees with excitement.<p>

"Well if it isn't President Masamune!" he greets with enthusiasm. Beside one of the pillars lining up the sides, his best friend turns to face him with a pleased smile, and apart from the slightly darker bags under his eyes, he looks no different from the man that Sora had dropped off at the airport months ago.

"Hey Sora," Riku greets as he goes through the motions of their handshake.

"Did you take a private jet, Mr. President?" Sora asks teasingly.

Riku crosses his arms with a smirk. "Yes we did, actually."

At the word _we_, Sora then notices little Xion standing behind his best friend, all dolled up and dressed in a pale purple dress that coincidentally matches Riku's tie.

"Xiniqua," Sora greets jokingly while taking her hand to kiss it. She pulls away from him with immediate embarrassment at the memory.

"Don't even," she pleads, but her features soften within seconds. "It's really good to see you again, Sora." Then, teasingly, "It's nice to finally see your annoying face in person as opposed to on video chat every night."

"It's nice to see your hideous, un-pixilated face too," he says as he pulls her into a friendly hug. "You look good, by the way," he says as he pulls away to get a good look at her. "Happier."

Xion blushes when Sora secretively wiggles his eyebrows in Riku's direction, but before she can berate him for his actions, the church doors open, and the groom walks in with his best man in tow. While Axel makes a run for Xion and Riku, Sora approaches his brother with a lighthearted wolf whistle.

"Wow," he says as he admires his twin's overall appearance. "If this is pretty much how I'm going to look at my wedding, then hot damn."

"You wish you could look this good," Roxas scoffs, but his voice sounds strangely unconfident for such a haughty comeback.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sora asks with genuine concern. "You seem nervous."

"Let's just say that I asked Axel to bring me an extra pair of pants," Roxas jokes.

"You have no need to be nervous," Sora assures. "It's not like she's going to leave you hanging."

Roxas smiles and places a hand on Sora's shoulder. Had circumstances been slightly different, their roles might have been reversed, but in the back of their minds, they know that this is how the story is supposed to go.

"It's nice to be by your side again, Sora," Roxas says.

"An honour to be here, Roxas," his twin replies, and as the two chuckle at their sentimental moment, their mother overhears their laughter and turns her attention to them with a gasp.

Sora merely groans. "Here come the waterworks."

"Oh, Roxas," Aerith whimpers as she approaches her soon-to-be married son with outstretched arms. "You look so handsome."

"Thanks mom," Roxas says as he accepts his mother's embrace, and when she isn't paying attention, the groom mouths the word "help" to his twin brother, but Sora only raises his hands in surrender. Roxas groans into the hug. As much as he'd love to comfort his mother, he had other guests to tend to.

"My baby," Aerith says as she cups Roxas' face in her hands. "Your father would have been so proud of the man that you've become."

"Mom, _no_," Roxas pleads as he feels tears forming on the brim of his eyes. In the background, Sora pretends to bawl his eyes out, and Roxas discreetly flips him off. "Mommy, please," Roxas begs as he attempts to calm his sniffling mother. "I refuse to cry before I actually get married."

He suddenly feels Sora's supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I got this," his brother assures. "Ven, Van! We got a class three over here!"

At the sound of their names being called with urgency, the first pair of Fair twins come running towards their mother, Vanitas with his violin and Ventus with a box of tissues in hand, and ready themselves for duty. As Vanitas begins to play his mother's favourite song, Ventus gets down on one knee and presents his mother with a tissue, and Roxas turns to Sora with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," he mouths.

"No problem," Sora says as he wraps his arm around his twin brother. "Now how about we get this show on the road, hm?"

No less than half an hour later, a fidgety Roxas stands at the altar with Axel beside him, and Sora sits off to the side by the grand piano, playing another one of his compositions with Vanitas accompanying him on his violin. Yuna, escorted by her fellow groomsman Tidus, walk down the aisle as the final pair, and as they take their places, the maid of honour makes her entrance.

Sora feels his breath hitch at the sight of Kairi walking down the aisle with a bouquet of flowers in hand. He may been being a bit biased since he hasn't seen her in months, but out of all the lovely bridesmaids that just walked down the aisle in the same Tiffany blue dress, she undoubtedly looked the best. With her wavy red hair cascading past her shoulders and her bright indigo eyes shining with wonder and excitement, she was an absolute stunner, and the fact that he knew what she was like beneath that exterior made her even more so.

Sora suddenly hears Vanitas clear his throat beside him.

The pianist looks down at his hands and finds them frozen in place. He looks towards the confused audience in mortification as the embarrassment of his temporary lapse in propriety hits him full force. He even catches Riku, Xion, Axel, and Roxas stifling their laughter. He locks eyes with Kairi for a brief moment and finds her smiling supportively in his direction. Every guest in the room suddenly disappears without a trace, and his entire world slows until he notices her raise her bouquet as a reminder for him to keep playing.

Upon returning to reality, Sora shakes his head with a chuckle and continues where he left off.

The ring bearer and flower girl follow suit, and finally, the bride enters and is escorted by her father. Noctis walks with the faintest of smiles on his face, but that alone is enough to set him apart from the ruthless CEO of Caelum Industries. With her arm wrapped around his, Naminé, looking as lovely as ever, walks by his side with slow, steady, and elegant strides. She wears the elaborate dress that Kairi had helped her into months ago and a wide, but nervous grin on her face as she approaches her soon-to-be husband at the altar.

Three years ago, Sora had always imagined that he would be the one standing in his brother's place, watching with awe as Naminé approached him with nervousness, but when he catches a glimpse of Kairi from the corner of his eye, he smiles in content at where he currently stands. This is where he's meant to be, he thinks as he skillfully moves his fingers across the ivories. This is what he's meant to do.

"Close your mouth," Axel suddenly says as he discreetly coughs into his fist. The entire audience giggles as the groom, with much effort, does exactly as his best man says.

Roxas blushes with embarrassment, but all feelings of remorse wash away when his bride comes to join him at the altar. As she moves to stand in front of him, something suddenly catches his eye at the end of the church doorway. Amidst the brightness of the sunlight, he can make out a tall figure leaning against the doorframe.

He squints and realizes that the person is no stranger. Their presence feels oddly familiar, but they look almost transparent, bathed in sunlight.

Upon closer examination, the man appears to be sporting spiky black hair, a first class SOLDIER uniform, and a small, but proud smile on his face. His eyes give off a certain warmth, and there is something about his smile that makes Roxas want to reciprocate it without question.

"It can't be," Sora whispers with realization. Even Vanitas nearly drops his violin in shock.

"Dad," Roxas says with disbelief, but the moment is gone as soon as it comes.

The figure by the doorway sends his family a firm nod, waves farewell, and disappears into the light.

* * *

><p>Hours later, the sound of a spoon hitting the side of a wine glass repeatedly silences all the guests at the reception. Because Naminé's parents wouldn't settle for anything less than the best for their only child, the event takes place on the rooftop of New Twilight's finest hotel and watches over the city and all its glory.<p>

Noctis and Stella Caelum stand center stage, each with a wine glass in hand, and everyone, including the bride and groom sitting at their elevated table with their bridesmaids and groomsmen on the bottom, turns to give them their full attention.

"Good evening, everyone," Naminé's mother says into the mic. "Before we proceed with our toast, I would like to thank everyone who was able to make it to such an important event in our lives. I'm thankful to be the mother of such a magnificent and talented daughter, but now I'm even more grateful that she's found someone just as wonderful. On behalf of my husband and myself, I would officially like to welcome our new son-in-law, Roxas Fair, into our family, and we would like to thank Aerith and Zack for raising their son to be the wonderful young man that he is today. My dear Roxas and Naminé, may your marriage be filled with much happiness."

After a round of applause (and a few choked back sobs from Aerith and Roxas, admittedly), Stella hands the mic to her husband, and everyone silences themselves as the CEO of Caelum Industries makes his speech.

"As most of you may know, apart from work-related speeches, I'm a man of very few words," Noctis confesses. "I could stand here and tell you all about the beautiful young lady that my daughter Naminé has blossomed into, but I'm sure that her grace and talent alone are enough to attest to that. Instead, I'm going to say all that needs to be said." Noctis then clears his throat and turns his sights to the young man sitting beside his daughter.

"I am one hundred percent certain that Roxas will be a good son-in-law, and an even better husband to my Naminé," Noctis says, taking everyone by surprise. "I can confirm this with confidence because, well, I manage a company that happens to sell weapons."

A few chuckles escape the crowd. They know where this is going. Roxas noticeably pales, and Naminé can't help but stifle her laughter.

"Gunblades, keyblades, broadswords, chakrams, spears, knives, you name it, buddy," Noctis threatens with a lighthearted grin. "But in all honesty, as a parent, you can only hope that your child will find someone that can continue the lessons that you've taught them about love, and from what I've seen all these years, you've done a great job so far, Roxas Fair. I'm thankful that my daughter has someone like you in her life, and I'm proud to call you my son-in-law."

And when the bride's father raises his wine glass, everyone raises theirs with a cheer.

"Hello everyone," Xion says—more like whispers—when she takes her turn onstage. She begins to feel nervous as the pressure of over two hundred watchful eyes finally gets to her, but when she locks eyes with a familiar pair of aquamarine ones, she clears her throat and nods as the owner sends her a supportive thumbs up gesture.

"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Xion, and I'm a good friend of the groom," Xion informs, and Roxas agrees with a thankful nod. "Roxas, I would just like to say that I'm so glad that you've found someone whom you can love with all your heart. It's rare to find someone who can understand and accept you for who you are, what you've done, what you've been through, and what you've become, but I really am glad that you've finally found her. May you both cherish and live within the warmth of each other's hearts forever."

Halfway through Ventus and Vanitas' speech, Roxas begins to feel a little nervous.

"… and I hope your days together are filled with joy," Ventus finishes kindly, and when his twin brother forcefully takes the mic from him, Roxas holds his breath.

"Naminé, I just hope you're ready to have us as your older brothers," Vanitas says, his ever-present boyish smirk unfaltering. "And no office sex," he mutters swiftly.

"Van!" Ventus scolds as he grabs the mic and shoves his brother off the stage. He sends the newlywed couple an apologetic glance before walking off himself.

"As children, I remember us wondering what our wedding would eventually be like," Kairi says towards the end of her maid of honour speech. "What kind of colour scheme would we choose, what kind of flowers would express our love the best, and most importantly," Kairi looks to Roxas, causing the crowd to anticipate a heartfelt comment about the groom, but instead she says, "what kind of cake would we have? Because come on, that's the real priority here."

Kairi pauses as the crowd erupts into a fit of giggles and applause.

"All jokes aside though, I recall the both of us wondering what kind of man would be standing next to us when the time came," Kairi continues. "There are many worlds out there, and there are even more people, but out of everyone in this galaxy, I can confidently say that you've chosen correctly. I don't think—I _know_ Roxas will be a great addition to the family." Roxas then places a hand over his chest and _aww_'s before mouthing a sincere "thank you".

"Thank you for welcoming me into a place that I can now call home," Kairi says, wrapping up her speech. "I'm honoured to be a part of your ongoing love story, and I hope that the chapters you share as a married couple will be filled with success and happiness."

"Hello everyone," Sora says when he has the audience's attention. "For those of you who aren't familiar with me, I'm Sora Fair: a close friend of the bride, and Roxas' better looking twin brother."

Apart from the chuckles and applause, a few girlish sighs are heard in the crowd and even a few wolf-whistles, one of which comes from Riku who gets elbowed in the gut by Xion.

"You wish!" Roxas yells amidst the laughter. Sora jokingly bows at the reaction he receives and continues once the noise dies down.

"So I know most of you are expecting me to completely humiliate my brother by throwing a bunch of irrelevant and embarrassing childhood stories out there," Sora says, and the crowd nods in anticipation. "Well, I hate to break it to you guys, but I'm not going to do that." A few disappointed _aww_'s fill the air, but Sora is quick to put an end to them.

"That job is reserved for the best man," Sora reminds, and everyone claps in anticipation for Axel's upcoming speech. The pyromaniac accepts the praise while winking at his best friend and Roxas only sends him an "I'm watching you" gesture.

"Strangely enough, I'm going to talk about physics," Sora confesses, and Axel playfully _boo_'s in the background. "There are many types of forces in the world," Sora starts, and he begins to count them off his fingers. "Applied force, gravity force, normal force, frictional force, and so on. All of these forces have something in common: they can be scientifically proven, physically seen, and/or calculated."

Sora then takes a deep breath and sighs.

"I've never been good at physics," Sora admits (a few giggles are heard at this), "and my grades from high school can totally attest to that, but I do know this: the force of love is very different from the forces that I just mentioned earlier. It's unpredictable, and while the force itself is invisible, it lives on in every act of kindness, in every forgiving smile, in every heartfelt embrace, and it is so powerful that a single kiss can seemingly defy the laws of gravity. Its potential is limitless, and you never know what it can make you do. It has no set formula, and no matter how hard you try, you can't predict it's exact outcome—but that's the beauty of it, I suppose."

Kairi looks up from her wine glass and finds Sora's eyes locked onto hers. Her lips part slightly in surprise.

"You'll just have to go for it and see how it all turns out," Sora says. "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but I'm so glad that it all worked out in both your favours, Roxas and Naminé." He then turns his attention to the happy couple with a smile.

"Naminé, I really am glad that you've found someone who you can consider your number one," he says, and his ex-fiancée nods at him gratefully through teary eyes. "And Roxas, nothing will ever change the fact that the same blood runs through our veins. You will always be my brother, and I think it's high time we put our past behind us and look towards a brighter future—together." Roxas purses his lips and nods firmly, and Sora's lips break out into a wide grin. "Here's to Roxas and Naminé."

"To Roxas and Naminé!" the crowd exclaims.

And finally, when the time comes for the best man speech, Axel is welcomed onto the stage with loud cheers and applause, and the pyromaniac waves and bows like royalty as he approaches the mic stand.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he begins dramatically. "Today… is a historic day indeed—legendary, even, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for making it to such an important event in our century."

Roxas raises a suspicious eyebrow at Axel's introduction. He has no idea where he is going with this, and quite frankly, he isn't sure if he wants to know.

"It truly is a momentous occasion, because today, Roxas has finally admitted to me being the best," Axel jokes with a hand over his heart, and the crowd erupts into a fit of applause and laughter.

"So, as most of you know," Axel continues once the laughs die down, "I'm really not that good with words and have absolutely no idea how to execute a best man speech, so naturally, I moogled it and discovered something very interesting. Apparently, it's supposed to last as long as the groom can in bed so, with that being said," Axel quickly glances at his watch, "it's been thirty-five seconds, so goodnight everyone you've been an amazing crowd!"

Amidst the chaos, Axel dodges the wine bottle that the groom narrowly throws in his direction.

"Calm your titties, Rox. I'm only joking," Axel promises with a lighthearted chuckle. "So while Roxas rethinks his decision about choosing me as his best man (more chuckles are heard at this), I'm going to shift the topic onto Naminé. Nams," Axel starts when he turns his sights to the lovely bride. "You look absolutely lovely tonight. I think I speak on behalf of every guy when I say what a shame it is that such a beauty is officially off the market tonight (more cheers and applause). I would personally like to thank you for letting me third wheel about ninety-percent of your dates, for feeding me dinner every night, and for showing Roxas a love that I thought could only exist in romance movies. When Roxas looks at you, I know it's the way every girl wants to be looked at, and I wish that I can one day love someone as much as he loves you."

Naminé places a hand over her heart and mouths a heartfelt "aww".

"Now, back to Roxas," Axel says, and the mischievous look in his bright green eyes returns. "I could stand here and totally milk the situation by telling you all the jaw-dropping, scream-inducing, and embarrassing stories about him, like how we used to be total bad boys back in the day and how he passed out on my shoulder on his twenty-first birthday (Roxas breaks the wine glass he has in his hand at this despite the crowd's obvious entertainment), but then I figured, why would I do that? He has the rest of his life to be embarrassed by me, so I've decided not to shame him in the five minutes that I have with all of you."

"So I've known Roxas for about ten years now, and in all the moments that it took to lead us up to this moment, I can confidently say that I have never met someone who's such a pain in the ass—pause for laughter—but such a great guy at the same time," Axel confesses, and Roxas can tell by the look on the redhead's face that things are about to get serious. "Roxas is one of the greatest pillars of support you could ever ask for. He'll make mistakes, because no one in this world is truly perfect—well, besides me, of course—but when it all comes down to it, he'll always do what he thinks is right, and that means putting family and friends first."

"So Naminé," Axel says when he proceeds with his conclusion. "I know I may have the title of Roxas' best man, but truth be told, the best man is sitting right next to you. You're in very good hands."

"Aww, Axel!" Xion squeals teasingly, and the crowd joins her not long after with heavy applause.

"That's what she said," Axel mutters in regards to his final statement. He then catches Noctis' piercing gaze and nervously rubs the back of his head. "Just kidding, haha. To the bride and groom!"

"To the bride and groom!"

* * *

><p>Moments after the speeches, the reception is in full swing. The moon shines down on the party with delight, the dessert table is being attacked, and the dance floor is packed with guests of all ages. Kairi, who currently holds a snoozing Eric in her arms at a table towards the back, watches as his parents try to reacquaint themselves with the feeling of being on a dance floor while Pence, the official photographer, snaps numerous pictures of them and the other guests. It's quite an entertaining show, watching Hayner gyrate mindlessly against electronic dance music, but judging by his wife's laughter, she doesn't seem to mind.<p>

When the music eventually slows to a waltz, Olette runs back to Kairi and scoops her snoozing son into her arms.

"Kairi, you should go dance!" Olette suggests with enthusiasm.

"Ah, no thanks," Kairi declines with a small wave. "I'm not that good of a dancer, and I don't even have a partner."

"Now we both know that none of those are true," an all too familiar voice says behind her. While Olette giggles into her hand, Kairi squeaks and turns around to find Riku offering his hand to her like a true gentleman.

"May I have this dance, Ms. Hart?" he asks politely.

Kairi hesitates for a moment. "Riku, I'm not sure if we should…"

"Kairi, this is going to be awkward only if you make it awkward," Riku points out as he forcefully takes her hand and leads her away. "Now come on!"

"Uh oh," Axel says when he sees the ex-couple approaching the dance floor. He protectively pulls his dance partner, Xion, to his side. "I smell drama. You're not going to cut her when we're not looking, are you?"

Riku chuckles as he brings their hands up in one swift motion.

"You may want to keep your eyes open and the rest of your senses acute," he jokes.

"Oh my gosh, I dated an axe murderer," Kairi says as Riku leads her into the box formation.

"It was bound to come up some time," Riku says, playing along. Kairi grins as she follows his lead. On one hand, she still feels terrible about their breakup, but on the other, she's glad that Riku could openly make lighthearted jokes about it.

"So how is it being the President of Caelum Industries in Radiant Garden?" Kairi asks as she steps out into a twirl. They'd exchanged a few emails every now and then, but there was nothing like hearing his responses in person.

"It's all right," Riku admits as he catches her effortlessly. "I'm not used to the workload just yet, but I'm glad I have something to keep me busy."

"Mm," Kairi hums in understanding. She then wiggles her eyebrows in Xion's direction, who appears to be laughing at Axel's clear lack of talent towards ballroom dancing. "So," Kairi starts slyly. "Are you and Xion…?"

Riku turns towards his housemate with an admirable smile gracing his lips.

"No," he answers. "I don't think I'm quite ready for a relationship yet. And Xion… she's been through a lot," Riku explains as he leads Kairi into a quarter turn. "She deserves someone who appreciates her entirely—not just some guy who's still kind of hung up on his ex-girlfriend."

Kairi flushes at the confession and averts Riku's gaze. "But… do you think you could see yourself together in the future?"

Riku considers the possibility with a grin. "Maybe."

"Maybe has potential," Kairi points out with optimism, and Riku is once again reminded about why he originally fell for this woman in the first place, but he doesn't let the reminder get to him.

"So how are you, Kairi?" he decides to ask. "How's the new travel journalist job treating you?"

"Good," she answers truthfully. "Like you, I'm glad that I have something to keep me busy. I just got back from Traverse Town last week, actually. It's great traveling the worlds again, but I have to admit that it's not the same as before. There's so much I wish I'd seen with the both of you."

"I know the feeling," Riku says as he recalls the image of the sun rising behind the mountains of Radiant Garden. Kairi spins out into another twirl, and when he catches her he says, "By the way, I finished reading the rough manuscript of your book."

"Oh," is all Kairi says when her hand meets his chest. She briefly remembers handing Xion a copy before she left for Radiant Garden. She must have relayed it to him without her knowing. "What did you think?"

"Dusks and Ladders," Riku says as he remembers the title on the front page in Times New Roman font. "It has a nice ring to it, and while it's incredibly well written and relatable, I have to admit that the ending is a bit… abrupt."

Kairi almost laughs. "That's what my agent and project manager have been telling me. While they thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the content, they refuse to send the manuscript out for editing until I change the ending, but I still can't figure out how it's supposed to end."

"Well I think now's a good time to find out as any," Riku says. He guides her into another twirl, but instead of pulling her back in, he keeps her facing in the opposite direction where she comes face to face with Sora.

"Hey," he greets, and as he anxiously rubs the back of his head with a blush spreading across his cheeks, all Kairi can think is the following: this is not the same overconfident and careless boy that greeted her at his doorstep when she first arrived in New Twilight. This young man is shy, but his eyes show a certain wisdom, and he knows what he wants.

"Don't look so nervous—look sharp!" Roxas demands as he and his wife pass his brother on the dance floor. As Naminé giggles, Sora clears his throat and straightens his posture.

"Can I… can we talk?" he stammers.

Kairi turns to look at her dance partner for permission, but he already lets her hand go in response. Riku nods for even more confirmation and dismisses her with a grin accompanied by a small wave. The redhead offers him a small, thankful nod in return as she follows her former boss to the corner of the reception.

"Did Kairi just leave with who I thought she left with?" Xion asks when she takes Kairi's place on the dance floor.

"Yeah," Riku answers as he places a hand behind Xion's back, and as he brings their hands up to level with their shoulders, all he can think of is how right and comforting it feels to have Xion at such close proximity.

Back at the edge of the reception, Kairi leans her hands against the stone railings, watching over the city of Twilight with unfaltering wonder. Its vastness never ceases to amaze her, and for a moment it feels as if she and Sora are just on his terrace again, rewarding themselves with ice cream and pleasant conversation after scavenging the area for ice cream.

And of all the people in the entire city, in the entire galaxy, it's still him standing next to her.

"Hi," he says again, unsure of how to start their first real conversation in months. There was the occasional and casual text and email, but this just so happened to be their first physical encounter.

"Hey," she answers shakily as the wind of a higher altitude pulls her into a cold embrace. Sora, sensing her discomfort, removes his blazer immediately and hands it to her wordlessly. Kairi accepts it and wraps it around her bare shoulders with a grateful smile as the familiarity of his warmth sets in.

_Yeah,_ she thinks. _Definitely not the same boy from last year._

Sora himself leans his back against the rails and admires the way the lights from the trees bathe Kairi in a warm glow. A ghost of a smile plays on her lips, and it is not only the city that reflects itself in her irises, but his entire world, and he wants more than anything to let her know this. This is the woman he loves. He doesn't need to hide anything from her.

"I see you fixed things with your brother," she decides to say when she figures that he is too awestruck for words.

"Uh, yeah," he answers dumbly. "I did."

Her smile widens. "I'm glad."

He reciprocates it almost immediately as he recalls the sound of his and Roxas' laughter mixed together. "So am I."

A brief awkward silence passes as Kairi hugs her arm.

"I also patched things up with Riku," Sora informs.

Kairi closes her eyes and sighs. "I know, and I'm so relieved to know that. Thank you, Sora."

"No," he says whilst shaking his head, and her eyes snap open to look at the sincere expression on his face. "Thank you, Kairi."

She finds her cheeks heating up at the burning of his eyes and the look on his face, or rather the look of his face in general. He's always been so handsome in her eyes.

"Kairi," he suddenly calls, not wanting to waste any more time. She is here, and she is next to him, and he is not going to waste a single bit of the moment. Not one minute, not one second, not ever again. "I meant what I said."

She looks up at him in confusion.

"I'll always want you," he clarifies, and she flushes at the memory of him whispering those exact words to her the day they almost made love in his office. "Being apart from you did help me fix things on my own," Sora admits, "but it also clarified something for me. Your absence made it clear that I need you in my life." And after a deep breath he says, "I loved you then, and right here, in this very moment, I love you now."

"Sora…" Kairi starts in a whisper.

"I've never felt this way about anyone," Sora confesses. "You're not like the other girls, Kairi. You're not just cute, or smart, or incredibly fun to be around, and you are definitely _not _just a fine piece of ass—you're everything to me. You're my thoughts at three in the morning, my reason for consuming more than three sea-salt ice cream bars daily (Kairi chuckles at this), my chance at living again, and I want to spend my life knowing and appreciating everything there is to know about you, good and bad."

"I want to know your favourite brand of paopu juice," he continues. "I want to dance to every record you own, to read every single word you write, to eat every single thing that you make, and even if you think it's the dorkiest sound in the world, I want to know what makes you laugh until you cry and relish in the sound of your laughter because I know it means you're happy (despite the tears forming in her eyes Kairi finds this amusing as well). I want to taste your cherry lip gloss every single moment of every single day, I want to know every place that gets your pulse racing beneath my lips, I want to know all your fears and laugh before comforting you, I want to know what makes you cry and punch the face of any asshole who mistreats you (that includes me), and I want to know where every single one of your scars came from and help you heal them, because that's what you've done for me. You accepted my scars and used them to turn me into someone better, and no words can express how grateful I am to you for that."

"It was my pleasure, Sora," Kairi says.

"And it was mine to be by your side," he whispers. "It's like I've been asleep for these last few years, and while Riku and Xion have been making sure that I sleep in peace, you come along and wake me up with your simple 'get up, you lazy bum'."

Kairi covers her mouth as she stifles another giggle at his pathetic imitation of her voice.

"I don't want to be someone I'm not anymore," Sora proclaims, "because you make me proud to be my dorky self. I know I've made my mistakes. I'm going to make more, and I know I'm going to be wrong on more than one occasion, but I want to continue to learn and grow with no one else but you. I would be honoured if I could call you mine, Kairi Hart, and I know that love isn't a game, but if it were, I know that I'll always win if I'm with you."

Kairi can't stop the smirk that spreads across her face. "And how many times did you practice that speech in front of the mirror?"

"Like, five times," Sora wholeheartedly admits. The woman of his affections throws her head back with an appreciative laugh at his honesty.

"Truth be told, Sora," Kairi says as she anxiously bites the bottom of her lip. "I haven't gotten you off my mind either."

The confession almost makes Sora want to run up and scoop her into his arms, but he thinks better of the impulsive gesture and waits for her to show any signs of permission.

"And as much as I'd love to run into your arms and resume where we left off," she continues, and he listens, hopeful. "I don't think we should."

It sounds like a slap in the face.

"Sora, I don't mean it like that," Kairi assures when she sees the mortified look on his face. "What I'm trying to say is that… we rushed into this last time," she explains as she recalls all the things that they'd done behind Riku's back. "Every time you rush things with a girl, things go horribly wrong, and I don't want that to happen to you again. I don't want any of us to get hurt again. I want us to be a sure shot, and for that to happen, I think it best if we stay friends for now. We'll see how things go, see if things fizzle out, and one day, when the time comes and if we both still feel this way, we can give us another try, okay?"

Kairi watches as Sora tastes then swallows the words in understanding.

"So what do you think, Sora?" she asks nervously. "Do you think you can wait?"

His decision doesn't take much thought.

"Yeah," he answers without hesitation. She's worth it. She's always been worth it. "I'll wait for you."

**tbc**

* * *

><p><strong>Fun fact:<strong> I was originally going to end the story here, but the epilogue is already forty-percent complete. Can't stop won't stop.  
><strong>Fun fact #2:<strong> I wrote this chapter backwards because SoKai though.  
><strong>Fun fact #3:<strong> In my eighteen years of existence, I've never been to a wedding, so if any details were incorrect, I'm going to say that it was a special KH universe type wedding, capish?

**Chapter Inspirations:** _Feel Again—One Republic, Missing You: Naminé—Kingdom Hearts Piano Collections, England—The National, Ordinary People—John Legend_

**I have that feeling right now. That feeling where you don't know what to do with your life once you finish watching a show or reading a book or, in this case, writing a fan fiction (but that may just be my fever acting up lol). I know this isn't the last chapter, but this was where it was originally going to end, so it's hitting me. I wonder how it's going to feel releasing the epilogue?**

**I also hope you're all cool that I didn't make Sora and Kairi get back together in a snap. Wouldn't feel realistic to me if they did. I also know that Sora's speech at the end might feel a little too mushy to be true (and believe me it was a pain to plan out and execute), but hey, welcome to fan fiction. I thought it was necessary for him to recite every significant detail he knew about her to prove that he was actually in love with her, and not just the idea of love like before. Axel's best man speech though? That was raw emotion right there. I know this story is SoKaiRi centric, but I would've felt bad if I didn't include his speech among the others. I just love Axel's character.**

**Also, despite being almost halfway done, I don't think the epilogue will be up extremely soon. I'm planning another RokuNami multi-chap (approximately 10 chapters [give or take], pending title "Type C") and I want to finish making the outline for that as well as the first chapter before I completely finish D&L.**

**And yeah, Advent Children shout out with Zack's appearance there! I probably shouldn't have watched all those Zack x Aerith Crisis Core cutscenes because now I've just got feels all over.**

**Special thanks to** DestinyKeyblader28, pokepals98, Crush-Chan17, Jesusfreak9224, Emi-tan, Sookdeo, It's My Lucky Charm, MasterKaze, Wildgirl404, SilvericAnito, Rivendell101, KurukiXV, Ken7700, Blade100, Sin's Punishment **and **MelodicEnigma **for reviewing the last chapter and to the people who have put this story on alert and/or favourited it! I'm sorry if I missed or misspelled any pen names.**

**I hope you enjoyed the twenty-third installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I apologize for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll finish up that epilogue asap!**

**See you all in the final chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **I originally didn'twant to write this cheesy-ish epilogue, but here we are. Here's to setting everything in stone.

And yes, above is my attempt at making a cover image for this story, emphasis on the word "attempt" lol. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>epilogue<strong>

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_Their happy ever after and the little moments in between._

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Xion takes a deep breath before knocking on the door.

She twiddles her thumbs and rocks back and forth on her heels as she waits for someone to answer. After thirty seconds, she receives no answer. She knocks again with slightly more urgency—still no answer. Before her knuckles can make contact with the wooden surface once more, the door swings open, and a half-naked and hyperactive two-year-old girl scurries out with a giggle as her frustrated father follows suit.

"Ari!" Sora yells as he chases the toddler with her little dress in hand. "You're not dressed yet! Get back here!"

Xion giggles as she watches the red-haired, blue-eyed girl run across the lawn in nothing but polka dot leggings adorning her chubby little legs. At the end of the driveway, Riku shuts the car door behind him and scoops the little one into his arms just as she's about to jump off the curb.

"Uncle Riku!" she gasps in pleasant surprise.

"Hey kiddo," he greets as he ruffles her hair with affection. "Wow, look at you! You've gotten even prettier since the last time I saw you!"

She giggles at the compliment, but the moment is short lived. Sora finally comes in between them, panting, and forces the lilac coloured dress onto his overactive daughter with the help of his best friend.

"Thanks Riku," Sora says breathlessly. "Gosh, you'd think everyone was exaggerating the terrible two. They're really not kidding. She's just so impulsive and all over the place."

"Well it's not hard to guess who she got that from," Xion teases. Riku throws his head back with a cheeky laugh as they make their way into Sora's new two-storey home as of eight months ago.

"So how was the flight from Radiant Garden?" Sora asks as he leads everyone into the foyer with Ariel on his shoulders.

"Fine," Riku answers while Xion admires Sora's wedding picture in the living room.

"And no," Riku suddenly adds with a knowing look. "I didn't order strippers on the private jet if that's what you're about to ask."

Sora childishly sticks out his tongue—a gesture that his daughter unknowingly imitates above him. "Boo, you're no fun."

"I highly doubt your wife would approve of this interest in exotic dancers," Riku says with a chuckle. "Where is Kairi anyway?"

Then, as if it were planned, a motherly but overly excited voice hollers at them from the second floor. "Is that Riku and Xion?"

"Hey Kairi!" Xion greets. She hears the redhead squeal before bounding down the steps of the staircase with another little bundle in her arms, her wedding ring visibly shining when the sunlight seeping through the windows hits it directly.

"Hey guys!" she says, greeting them both with affectionate one-armed hugs as she holds her eight-month-old son in her other arm.

"Miki, say hi to your Uncle Riku and Auntie Xion," Kairi orders softly. The brown-haired, indigo-eyed toddler smiles toothily like his father before offering a high-pitched "hi". Unable to help herself any longer, Xion squeals and begins to pinch Miki's chubby cheeks.

"Would Auntie Xion like to help me get the kids ready?" Kairi suggests.

"Auntie Xion would love that," her fellow romance novelist answers. "Come on Ari, I'll do your hair!"

"Okay!" the young girl exclaims as her father hands her over. When the girls are upstairs with the kids, Sora turns to his best friend with a smile.

"Do you need help bringing your stuff from the car?" Sora offers.

Riku simply nods. "Sure."

"Thanks again for letting Xi and I stay with you for the weekend," Riku says as they walk towards the driveway side by side.

"You know I wouldn't have it any other way, Mr. President," Sora admits. "I'd rather annoy you here than at some five star hotel." The younger man then stops in the middle of the pathway to send his best friend a warning look. "But I swear, if I hear you and your girlfriend having sex through the walls again—"

"That was _one_ time!" Riku argues. "And we weren't even having sex! For the last time, she just hit her toe on the edge of the bedpost!"

"Sure," Sora says, clearly unconvinced. "So how are things with you and Xion anyway?" he decides to ask as they haul a few bags and luggages from the back of Riku's car.

"Good," Riku answers as he throws the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder. "Really good, actually."

"Really?" Sora asks slyly. He already has a knowing look on his face when he asks, "How good?"

Riku takes a deep breath as he slams the trunk down. For a few moments all that can be heard is the summer breeze whistling through the trees and the chirping of birds, but Riku is quick to overpower it with his words.

"I'm… going to ask her to marry me," he informs.

Sora's jaw drops in both shock and relief. He begins to applaud, and Riku merely plays along by bowing and waving to his audience of one.

"Whoa, Riku, 'atta boy!" Sora cheers. "That's great!" He then throws an arm around his best friend's broad shoulders and brings him down to his level with a lopsided grin. "Welcome to the married life, my friend. As far as I know with my three years of experience, it's going to be a total roller coaster, and there will be times where you'll want to rip each other's heads off, but it's going to be the best ride of your life."

"This coming from the biggest man skank of our time," Riku jokes.

"That was like six years ago," Sora mumbles, shame-faced.

"Yeah, I know, but I just like bugging you about it," Riku says as he nudges his best friend in the gut. "But I swear, if you pull an Axel during your best man speech…"

Sora shakes his head with a chuckle at the memory and grins at the best man of his wedding.

"It's nice to see you again, Riku," he decides to say.

Riku offers him a warm smile. "It's nice to see you too, Sora."

Then, without warning, Xion's unusually loud squealing from the second floor brings their feel good moment to an end. Riku raises a suspicious eyebrow in Sora's direction, but the younger man merely shrugs.

* * *

><p>Kairi stands in the middle of the living room, admiring the new and improved memory tree that stands tall and proud with new memories hanging all around. She places a hand on top of the very first picture taken for the tree and laughs to herself when she recalls washing paint out of her hair for almost a week. Her hand then moves to the picture of her and Sora on Destiny Islands with a coconut in between their lips, a picture of her and Xion at Roxas and Naminé's wedding, a picture of Sora, Roxas, Riku, and Hayner at Eric's first birthday party, a picture of Naminé with her newborn fraternal twins Aurora and Terence in hand, and finally, to the selfie of her crying on Sora's shoulder as he makes a thumbs up gesture at the camera. She chuckles as she recalls the memory with much fondness.<p>

"Sora!" she'd exclaimed that night.

"Mm?" he asks from the bathroom of their previous loft. She doesn't even have to look in his direction to know that he has a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Red or blue?" she asks, referring to the two cocktail dresses that she currently holds in front of the full-length mirror.

"Red," Sora answers immediately.

"Really?" Kairi says as she holds the red dress in front of her with an unconvinced look. She quickly and wordlessly decides the blue one is nicer.

She frowns when she hears Sora giggle amidst the sound of the sink running but thinks nothing of it as she slips into the knee-length blue dress. When he emerges from the bathroom, dressed and ready for the night's festivities, Kairi is surprised to find a blue tie already secured around his neck.

"Wha…" she starts.

"I just know you too well, babe," he insists as he walks towards the middle of their shared bedroom with an amused grin.

Kairi groans. "What did I say about calling me that?"

Sora giggles as he helps his girlfriend zip her dress up for the night. "You're just really cute when you're angry."

"You think anything I do is cute," she points out.

"Well I'm not lying," he whispers as he wraps his arms around her waist from behind.

"Sora," Kairi warns when he begins placing little kisses up her shoulder blade to her neck. He smirks when she begins to sag against him. "We're going to be late for the ball if you keep that up."

"Heh, good," he says as he kisses her cheek. Kairi leans her back against his chest and allows herself to melt into a few more of his kisses until she notices something very crucial missing on her vanity table.

"Oh my gosh, Sora," she says while going into a temporary state of panic. She roughly removes herself from his grasp and begins to search high and low for her grandmother's necklace. "Sora, I can't find my necklace."

"Really?" he asks, but he doesn't sound as concerned as she'd hoped.

"Sora, that's my grandmother's engagement necklace," she reminds sternly. "And it should be here, but it's not. I always put it here."

"Kairi, calm down," her boyfriend pleads. "I'm sure it's a lot closer than you think." He sounds surprisingly confident.

"I can't calm down!" the redhead shrieks, nearly pulling out her hair that was once tied into a neat side ponytail. "Sora, that necklace has been in my family for generations," she says, but he's heard it all before. "And it's the only thing I have left of my grandmother so I would really appreciate it if you could show some concern and help me right now—"

"Kairi," Sora calls softly. She turns around, distressed, but finds her boyfriend leaning against the wall with her grandmother's necklace dangling from his index finger—only this time, there is a new heart-shaped diamond in the center where a yellow Lucida-shaped diamond used to reside.

"Sora, oh my gosh," Kairi whispers in realization.

"Now before you freak out, I want you to know that I have your grandmother's original diamond in a box," Sora assures. "I also asked your parents for permission during our Thanksgiving visit. They said yes, and I'm really hoping you'll say so, too. With that being said…" After taking a deep breath, Sora gets down on one knee and looks his lover in the eyes as he says the following:

"Kairi Hart…" he starts as Kairi's eyes glisten with tears. "Your singing in the shower is downright unbearable."

His girlfriend almost falls over in shock.

"Sora, _really_?" she practically screams, seething.

"Let me finish," her boyfriend demands. "You hog the blanket way too much, the amount of vegetables you put in the shopping cart is completely unacceptable, you'll probably make me fat one day with those Nutella crepes of yours, and I can hardly find any shirts to wear in the morning because you've practically stolen all of them, but…" Kairi knows that the jokes come to an end when her boyfriend's voice begins to shake. "You make me happy beyond belief, and there is no one else I'd rather see walking down that aisle towards me but you. I know I make mistakes, I know I'm going to annoy the hell out of you, and I know that we won't always agree, but I'm willing to get through those moments—and your obnoxiously loud singing—if it means that I'll get to call you mine forever."

"Sora…" Kairi whimpers with tears already on the verge of falling from her eyes.

"Kairi Hart," Sora whispers. "Marry me."

She can tell by the look in his eyes that he's terribly nervous. He's already done this once before, and it hadn't worked out in his favour. Kairi, however, plans to show him that it's different this time round, and that she's here to stay.

"Yes," she answers without a trace of hesitation, and Sora begins to feel air rush into his lungs again. "Yes," Kairi repeats when her boyfriend—now fiancé—looks up at her with that stupid grin of his. "I'll marry you, Sora Fair."

He immediately gets up at these words and kisses her lovingly before twirling her around in a cliché fashion and fastening the necklace onto her neck. After many minutes of fumbling due to over excitement, she finally feels it click into place just as she's running a hand over his chest and suddenly hits him when he wraps his arms around her waist.

"Ow!" he yelps. "What the heck was that for?"

"You idiot!" Kairi shrieks through teary eyes. "Look what you did! My mascara's running! Why couldn't you propose to me _before _I put my makeup on? Now we're really going to be late!"

Sora chuckles and takes advantage of the moment as he snaps a selfie of him and his girlfriend—correction, _fiancée_—crying on his shoulder. He sets the camera down on the nightstand and lets his hand linger on the zipper of her dress before deciding to tug it down.

Well, since they were going to be late anyway…

Back in the present, Kairi releases the photo from her grasp and smiles at the treasured memory. Her hand then skims over their wedding picture, another unforgettable event, and then over to Sora talking animatedly to her pregnant belly. To the right of that picture, a newly born Ariel sleeps in the arms of her snoozing father, and soon enough, pictures of Miki begin to arise. Kairi places a hand on the most recent picture, which displays Sora playing the piano with his children in the living room. While Miki sits on his father's lap, watching Sora's fingers press down on the keys with great interest, Ariel sits beside her father and sways along to the music with glee.

Kairi feels another smile tug at her lips when she places a hand on her still flat belly. Soon enough, there would be another child joining their little jam sessions.

"Hon," she hears her husband call. She turns to find him mid-stride in the middle of the foyer with Miki in one arm and Ariel in the other, secured like a football. She's giggling.

"What are you doing?" Sora asks. "We're going to be late! Come on!"

Kairi turns away from the tree with a melancholic sigh. She'd been hoping to tell him the news right before they left the house, but perhaps she'd have to wait just a little bit longer.

"Sora, did you bring the kids' bottle bag?" Kairi asks as she secures Ariel into her car seat in the family vehicle.

"Yeah, it's in the back," Sora answers as he places his son into his seat. Riku tries to hold back a laugh as he and Xion enter their car parked just beside Sora's on the driveway.

"I never thought I'd see the day where Sora would trade in the Bugatti for an SUV," the older man teases.

"Can you not?" Sora pleads. "And it's in the garage, thank you very much."

Then, after he buckles his son into his seat, the seven-month-old baby then lifts his foot up to his head and begins to pull it to his mouth, and Sora only watches the gesture with confusion.

"You know, there's this superstition on Destiny Islands that implies that when a baby does that, it means they're asking for a sibling," Kairi informs as she nuzzles her daughter with affection.

"Really?" Sora asks, completely oblivious to what his wife is implying. Kairi turns around to look at Xion in the car behind her, and she sends Kairi a supportive thumbs up gesture while Riku stifles another chuckle.

"We'll meet you two there," he says as he backs out of the driveway with an understanding grin.

"Sora, did you hear what I said?" Kairi asks when she and her husband cross paths at the hood of the car.

"Yeah," Sora replies as he scratches the back of his head. "You said that if a baby can lift their foot to their mouth, it means that they're asking for a… sibling…" The realization slowly starts to sink in, and Sora's eyes widen when he looks at his wife with suspicion. "Kairi…"

"Sora…" Kairi mocks.

"You want to do it now?" he asks slyly.

"No, you idiot!" she exclaims with impatience. "I'm already pregnant!"

Sora's lips immediately turn upward into a huge smile as he takes his wife by the waist and spins her around with excitement.

"Wait, really? Are you sure?" Sora asks elatedly.

"Mhm," Kairi hums as she presses her forehead against her husband's. "I took three tests."

Unable to help himself any longer, Sora presses her lips onto hers and smirks when his wife begins to giggle against his lips. At the sound of her mother's laughter, Ari begins to clap in the car while Miki only watches his sister with confusion.

"Another adventure with you," Sora whispers into Kairi's ear when he pulls her into a tight embrace. All at once he already anticipates her belly slowly growing beneath his hands, her odd cravings at two thirty in the morning, the faint, but steady heartbeat of their new child against his left ear, the emotional mood swings, the sound of Ariel screaming excitedly in anticipation for her new playmate, and the soft, loving glow on Kairi's cheeks when she whispers soothing words to their little miracle every morning.

"I can't wait," Sora says as he kisses his wife's forehead. Kairi buries her face in the crook of his neck and grins.

"Neither can I."

* * *

><p>After a ten-minute drive, the family of four (and a quarter, respectively) reaches their destination and parks their vehicle right beside Axel's McLaren on the two-door garage driveway. When Kairi gets out to open the back door, her daughter is already squirming uncomfortably in her seat.<p>

"Mama!" she whines. Kairi giggles as she unbuckles her seat and brings her into her arms. She'd certainly inherited her father's impatience, no doubt about that.

"Auntie Kairi!" she suddenly hears behind her. When she turns around, Aurora and Terence, Roxas and Naminé's dynamic duo, come running towards her and Ari at full speed. Ariel begins to squirm in her mother's arms some more, and Kairi finally lets her daughter go with a chuckle.

"Hey, what about Uncle Sora?" Sora himself asks when the group of cousins fail to notice him and Miki due to their excitement. Kairi almost laughs out loud when all three kids try to pounce on him simultaneously. "Okay, abort mission!" Sora screams as he shields his son with both arms. "Abort mission!"

Luckily, before Terence can bring him down to his knees, Roxas comes in for the save.

"Aurora, Terence!" he scolds after lifting the twins off of his brother. "What did I say about knocking people to the ground?"

"Only do it to Uncle Axel," the twins recite in guilty unison. As Kairi shakes her head with mock disapproval, Roxas proudly ruffles their hair.

"Thanks bro," Sora says when he regains his balance. He then takes in the pink apron that his twin is wearing and snickers. "Nice look."

Roxas merely rolls his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny. Now, if you're done teasing me about my lack of masculinity, do you think you could help me start the grill in the back?"

"Sure," Sora answers with an amused grin. He hands Miki over to his wife and helps his brother usher the kids into the backyard.

"Keep a watchful eye on him Roxas!" Kairi advises when they're halfway there. "He might just burn your house down!"

"I will!" Roxas promises as he lets out a hearty laugh.

Sora, on the other hand, runs after his wife at full speed for payback. With a giggling Miki in her arms, Kairi shrieks and begins to run to the other side of the lawn, but her husband is quick to capture her by the waist and spin her around.

"Sora!" Kairi screams after her husband forcefully places a kiss on her lips. "Go help Roxas in the back!"

"Okay, okay," he finally agrees after kissing her one last time. "I love you."

"Love you too," Kairi replies with a giggle as Sora lovingly places his cheek on his son's head. He offers him a quick embrace before bringing himself to level with Kairi's belly.

"Bye baby," he whispers before kissing her stomach and making a beeline for the backyard. With a smile gracing her lips, Kairi then places a hand on her tummy and walks through the front door of the two-storey home with a yawning Miki in her arms.

"Kairi!" she immediately hears. Aerith and Selphie immediately emerge from the living room and shower the redhead with squeals.

"Xion told us the news," Selphie, otherwise known as Kairi's previous maid of honour, says excitedly. "Congratulations!"

"Oh, I can't wait to have another grandchild in my arms!" Aerith exclaims. "Congratulations, my dear."

"Thank you," Kairi says graciously. When her son begins reaching for his grandmother, Kairi hands him over to her mother-in-law and walks towards the kitchen with Selphie while Aerith heads towards the backyard.

"Kairi!" Naminé exclaims when her cousin enters the kitchen. Xion is already there, putting the finishing touches on a large chocolate cake.

"I heard about the new baby! Congratulations!" Naminé exclaims as she cautiously makes her way around the island counter with her pregnant belly of seven months. "You have now re-entered the realm of expectant mothers. May you enjoy another nine months of pickle and Nutella sandwiches."

"You already know," Kairi says while pulling Naminé into a gentle embrace. "So where's the birthday boy?" Kairi then asks when she fails to notice her cousin's youngest.

"Backyard," Naminé answers. "We'll head there right after we finish putting the candles on the cake. And speaking of finishing," the soon-to-be mother of four says as she sticks a candle of the number two in the center of the cake. "The artworks of your new novel, as well as Xion's, are close to completion. We can discuss them later if you'd like."

"Sounds good," Xion says from behind. "Thanks again for agreeing to make yet another great cover for us, Nams."

"As long as you keep the words coming, you can count on me for the visuals," the artist assures. "Now let's get this cake outside: we've got a lot of guests waiting!"

In the backyard, the patio is bustling with running children and chatting adults. Roxas, who stands in front of the grill flipping patties with the help of his twin brother smirks at Riku, who appears to be arranging cutlery on the nearby buffet table.

"So, I hear you want to put a ring on a certain someone's finger," Roxas teases. Riku frowns at Sora who merely shrugs with a sheepish grin. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Roxas assures. "I'm glad you've found someone you truly want to be with for the rest of your life, and I'm glad it's you who can treat Xion the way she deserves to be treated." After flipping another patty, Roxas then fakes a sniffle. "Oh, marriage. You all grow up so fast. Soon enough it'll be our daughters walking down the aisle, right Sora?"

His brother grimaces. "I'm going to teach my baby girl that all boys, save daddy, friends, and family, are evil. I'm going to have her trained in every form of the keyblade arts when she turns three and have her rip the balls off any guy who messes with her."

Sora then keeps a watchful eye on Ariel who appears to be playing animatedly with her two cousins and Eric, the—now—five-year-old son of Hayner and Olette. His eyes widen when his daughter suddenly gets up on her tippy toes and plants a small, wet kiss on Eric's cheek. Riku, who immediately senses his best friend's discomfort, grabs Sora by the collar but is dragged across the patio by the fuming father.

"Ari!" Sora scolds as he picks his little tyke off the ground. "What are you doing? You can't kiss boys until you're married!"

"Our son the ladies man," Hayner then says proudly as he pulls his son to him. "He gets that from daddy," he continues while popping his collar, and Olette is quick to elbow her husband in the gut.

"Which demon spawn told you to do that?" Sora asks his daughter.

Ari then points a pudgy little finger in the direction of Vanitas, who begins to whistle to himself and stare off into the distance. Beside him, Ventus covers his mouth and chuckles with amusement when Sora slaps his older brother across the head.

"Don't listen to your Uncle Van," Sora tells his daughter, and the entire backyard is quick to join Ven's laughing fit. An equally amused Axel then joins Roxas, who is in mid-chuckle while flipping another burger.

"Well, doesn't that look like fun?" the redhead observes with crossed arms.

"Yeah," Roxas agrees as he continues to watch Sora berate their older brother with a confused Ari in hand. "Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but it's different when you have your own to watch over, you know? I look at each of my kids and I see the perfect mixture of Naminé and I molded into one. There's nothing in the galaxy like it."

"I figured," Axel says while moving his thumb across his wedding finger. "That's why Larxene and I were thinking of having a little tyke of our own someday."

At this, it is not only Roxas' spatula that drops, but his jaw as well when he looks up at his best friend who now wears a mad grin on his face.

"Really, Axel?" Roxas squeaks excitedly.

"Yeah, why not?" Axel replies with false nonchalance. "Larxene and I have seen almost everything that needs to be seen and experienced everything that needs to be experienced together—all except this last adventure you speak of, of course."

As a supportive gesture, Roxas places a firm hand on his best friend's shoulder and smiles.

"That's great, Axel," he says. "You know I'll support you the whole way through."

"I know," Axel says graciously. "And I'm going to need you then more than ever. If you think Larxene's a bitch now, wait until she's pregnant."

Both men shiver at the thought.

"I'll smuggle your alcohol into the basement," Roxas offers, and Axel fakes a sniffle.

Back with Sora and Van, Kairi interferes with a hand on her hip and a knowing grin on her face.

"Now now Sora, give Vanitas a break. I'm sure you've punished him enough," Kairi says as she outstretches her arms to become a barrier between the two brothers.

"And this is why you're my favourite sister-in-law," Vanitas teases whilst sticking out his tongue towards his youngest brother.

"Honey, he told Ari to kiss a boy!" Sora reasons.

"Really?" Kairi asks with false disbelief, as if she isn't aware of her brother-in-law's antics. "Well, in that case…"

She then grabs Van's wrists and pins them behind his back without warning.

"I'll hold him, you launch!" Kairi orders.

Sora smirks and lifts his daughter as if she were a rocket-propelled grenade. "Ready, baby?"

"Fire!" Ari squeals.

"Fire!" Sora repeats as he tosses his daughter towards her uncle who catches her with ease after she latches onto his neck.

"Hey, you guys!" Roxas calls from the buffet table with the birthday boy in his arms. He, alongside the twins, are joined by all of the invited guests, and Pence stands behind a tripod not too far ahead of them, adjusting the settings on a camera. "If you're done fooling around over there, why don't you join us for a birthday song?"

"We'll be right over!" Ven assures as he takes Ari from Van's arms.

"And that was why I married you," Sora says as he laces his hand with Kairi's while making their way towards the group. "I love you, Kairi Fair," he says after moments of gazing into her indigo eyes that he'd grown to love more and more overtime.

"And I you, Sora Fair," Kairi replies as she ghosts a warm hand over his cheek.

"Come on lovebirds, we don't have all day!" Axel reminds.

Sora rolls his eyes as they pick up their pace. "We're coming, jeez!"

Sora and Kairi take their spots in between Aerith, who continues to hold a snoozing Miki, and Roxas, who holds the blue-eyed, black-haired birthday boy in his arms.

"Happy birthday, kiddo," Sora says as he lightly pokes his nephew's nose.

"Is everyone ready?" Naminé asks as she walks over to the table with a lavishly decorated and lit chocolate cake. Her question is answered with applause and excited nods. "Okay, here we go!"

"Rolling!" Pence calls as he hits the record button on the camera.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Zack, happy birthday to you…"

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Inspirations: <strong>_Say It, Just Say It—The Mowgli's_

**We're done, baby. We're done! I apologize for the lateness of this epilogue. I was caught in between school and not wanting this journey to end, but all things must eventually come to an end, and here we are ladies and gentlemen! I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it, and thank you for your support all throughout! But before I leave this story completely, if you truly know me, you know there's some things I have to discuss about this final chapter haha.**

**So a little thing about the children's names here. I asked a few of you if you could guess why I named Hayner and Olette's kid Eric, and a very select few of you managed to get it correct! Yes, it was because Sora and Kairi had a daughter named Ariel, and you can only guess what's about to happen from there. The child inside Kairi I originally planned to name Flynn over Eugene from **_**Tangled**_** as I imagined him to grow up as a troublemaker and a ladies man like his father. Miki is quite an easy one. His name comes from King Mickey himself, who I happened to meet on my recent trip to Disneyworld. Roxas and Naminé's kids I had to put some thought into. Zack (originally Zackary) is obviously named after his grandfather Zack, Aurora comes from **_**Sleeping Beauty**_**, and Terence is actually the name of the male fairy from **_**Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure**_**, who's voice actor also happens to be Jesse McCartney. Just some fun facts for you there.**

**And if you haven't already noticed, this entire story was just like a circle. Roxas' actions hurt Sora, who was broken-hearted like the "new girl" Kairi, whom he tried to inflict his teachings on which hurt Riku, who becomes the new "Kairi" who moves to another place to start over alongside Xion. Will someone start the drama cycle again? Hopefully not! Don't cheat on Xion, Riku!**

**Furthermore, everyone in this epilogue is at different stages. Olette and Hayner already have one child, Kairi and Naminé are both expecting again at different stages, Axel and Larxene are thinking about having a child, and Riku and Xion are about to get engaged. I figured putting them in various, diverse stages in life would make for a more exciting epilogue. I also purposely chose Roxas and Naminé's child as the birthday boy as a) choosing Sora and Kairi's children was too cheesy and b) one of the major points of the story was bringing Sora closer to Roxas.**

**Well, that's the last of my little explanations for this story. I hope they helped you see a little deeper into the story!**

**Special thanks to my Aussie** Jared Someone, Kaorei, madelyn150, chrome scale, Kvothe Da Bloodless, BlissfulNightRain, KittyKat1217, cutekitty5597, khfanforever, Guest, Demigod103, coconut5639, dontjudgeabookbyitscover, Emi-tan, It's My Lucky Charm, MeoldicEnigma, digimichael96, Ken7700, freakingfangirl, Blade100, DestinyKeyblader28, Crush-Chan17, Guest, Jesusfreak9224, DrytotheDen **and my partners in crime,** Redeeming Endeavor **and** Jomatto. **Thank you all for your support and honesty that will surely help me improve in the future! **

**I hope you enjoyed the final installment of D&L! Please kindly leave a review to tell me what you thought, I apologize for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and thank you for all your kind words.**

**Hoping to see you in any future works I may release,**  
>aliciousness<p>

**PS.** For those of you who have been seeking advice for works you have been thinking of producing, I am currently writing a short guide that may help you get started and help you on your writing journey, so stay tuned for its release on my profile! Later days!


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